Zero Interface
by Golden Arms
Summary: Ranma taunts his father on his first day of school at Furinkan, only to end up falling through a portal that leads him to Halkeginia. However, just because Ranma is made Louise's familiar doesn't mean he's taking it lying down.
1. Goodbye and Hello and Goodbye

**Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi. Familiar of Zero (Zero no Tsukaima) is owned by Noboru Yamaguchi. All rights reserved.**

**Zero Interface**  
Chapter 1  
Goodbye and Hello (And Goodbye)

Life sucked, Ranma thought, nodding firmly to himself.

China was bad enough. Having been dragged to Japan to be engaged to a total stranger against his will was worse. Being forced into an engagement with a violent, obnoxious, uncute chick was just insult to injury. And now, he had to live with the pain in the ass and even go to school together. How unfair!

"Man, all I freaking want is to get rid of this stupid curse!" he groused to himself, making his way to the school he was supposed to be attending, Furinkan High School, instead of doing something more important. Like restoring his manhood to full-time status.

"We're not going to get married, you know!" the girl Akane Tendo started, interrupting his thinking process.

"You're tellin' me?" he shot back, completely annoyed with her.

"So don't hang around me in school."

He snorted. "Don't worry! I can't stand macho chicks like you!"

Seconds later, he took a shot to the back of his head. For the moment, Ranma thought that violent chick had hit him with something.

Again.

Turning around, he blinked in surprise and annoyance at his irate father standing on the fence with him.

"Pop! What're you—"

"You're in no position to be choosey about women!" the older Saotome roared. "Listen, Ranma, I'll tell you only once—"

Bored with what felt like a lecture, Ranma's foot shot out to knock his father off the fence and into the canal with a loud splash. Staring at the resulting panda bear splashing about in the murky water, he called down to it. "What's wrong, Pop? Weren't you going to say something?"

Panda-Genma sprang up several feet over the fence, intent on paying his son back for his insolence. Ranma hopped off quickly, tucking himself into a small ball in order to avoid the bear's swipe. Having successfully dodged the attack, the younger Saotome made to land lightly on the ground several feet away.

"Ha!" he called out from over his shoulder. "Check this—"

And he suddenly fell into blackness.

* * *

"GROWRF?"

Akane and Panda-Genma blinked as a greenish oval appeared just in front of Ranma's path of descent. The boy never had a chance to see it, nor be warned. He fell into it, and suddenly disappeared.

"GROWRF!" Genma lunged forward to grab the boy, but it was too late. The floating oval ring disappeared before Genma made contact with it.

Akane blinked again. "Uh, what just happened?"

Panda-Genma turned to Akane, opened his mouth…

And realized pandas couldn't talk.

* * *

"The hell happened to me?" Ranma grumbled, blinking rapidly. One moment, he was flung into darkness now, here he was bathed in light.

His eyes caught sight of the bright azure sky overhead, fluffy clouds rolling across. There was grass beneath him, warm and soft. A gentle breeze caressed his skin.

"Where am I?" he wondered aloud.

A head entered his visual frame, wavy strawberry blonde hair dripping down all around her face. She frowned as she looked at him, brows furrowed in puzzlement.

Ranma took his eyes off of her. The girl was sort of cute, but the last thing he wanted was to hear his old man gripe at him over that stupid fiancée issue again. Who the hell asked him to decide things for him anyway?

"Who are you?" the girl asked.

"Ranma Saotome," he said, redirecting his attention to the girl. The second look pointed out that she most certainly wasn't Japanese by a longshot. Was she American? What was an American doing here? Wherever here was…

"Where are you from, commoner?"

"Commoner? What?" Did he hear right?

"Louise, what were you thinking, calling a commoner with 'Summon Servant'?" Ranma heard someone say as laughter erupted all around them, making it clear that he and the girl were not alone here, wherever here was. The girl that was interrogating him turned red in the face.

"I... I just made a little mistake!" she snapped back at the crowd, all of them wearing cloaks and holding what looked like a conductor's baton, thick little handle with a drastically tapered body.

"A mistake? What are you talking about?"

"It's not like something odd happened!"

"Of course! After all, she's Louise the Zero!"

The laughter roared to life once more, and the little girl shook. Probably with anger, since Ranma deduced her name was Louise. Louise the Zero.

He took a moment to raise and chamber his legs before he snapped them outward. His body sprang from his prone position on the ground and into a standing position, drawing a few eyes towards him.

"Mr. Col—"

"So, Louise the Zero, where am I and how do I get to Furinkan High School from here?"

The crowd surrounding both him and the Louise the Zero girl paused at his words for a moment before breaking out in guffaws.

"Even the commoner calls her Louise the Zero!"

"Zero! Zero!"

Ranma blinked at everyone. "O~kay… anyway, Lou—"

"Don't call me Zero, you stupid commoner!" the small girl – barely looked older than twelve or so – barked, pointing her own smooth stick at him.

"Hey! Who're you calling a commoner!"

"You!"

Ranma snorted in annoyance. Subtract all thoughts of this girl being even somewhat cute. She was just as obnoxious as that macho chick he'd been saddled with.

"All right, all right! What's the commotion?" A bald man wearing glasses and a heavy cape asked as he waded through the crowd of young faces, a big wooden staff in hand.

"Miss Vallière, what seems to be the matter?"

"Mr. Colbert! Please, allow me to try summoning one more time!"

"Summoning?" Ranma questioned, only to be ignored.

Mr. Colbert shook his head. "I cannot allow that, Miss Vallière."

"Why not?" Louise asked.

Mr. Colbert shook his head. "It is strictly forbidden. When you are promoted to a second year student, you must summon a familiar, which is what you just did."

Ranma had a weird feeling he just fell into a group of cosplayers acting out scenes from a video game, what with all this talk about "summoning" and "familiars." "Uh, hey—"

Again, he was ignored as Mr. Colbert continued. "Your elemental specialty is decided by the familiar that you summon. It enables you to advance to the appropriate courses for that element. You cannot change the familiar once you have summoned it, because the Springtime Familiar Summoning is a sacred rite. Whether you like it or –"

"Hey!" Ranma snapped, breaking up the conversation and drawing both of the strangers' eyes to him. Satisfied that people were now paying him some attention, he cleared his throat. "Look, I have no idea what's going on, and I'm sorry if I busted up your gameplay or whatever, but right now, I really gotta get back to Furinkan High School, so if someone can tell me where I am and how to get there from here, I'd be really grateful."

Silence followed his words. After several seconds, it turned from awkward to uncomfortable.

"Well, don't everyone speak all at once…" Ranma said, scratching the back of his head.

Mr. Colbert opened his mouth to say something, closed it, then opened it again. He turned to Louise. "At any rate—"

"Hey!" Ranma cried, suddenly and doubly ignored.

"Commoner, though he may be, he was still summoned by your spell. Never in history has a human been summoned as a familiar, true; however, the Springtime Familiar Summoning takes precedence over every rule. In other words, he must become your familiar."

Louise's face fell. "Ugh!"

Ranma gave up on the two and asked someone in the crowd. "Hey, you know how to get to Furinkan High School from here?"

His only response was a blink and a contemptuous frown.

Did he step in dog shit or something?

Mr. Colbert turned Louise to face Ranma, then roughly turned the pigtailed boy to face her. "Well then, continue with the ceremony."

She made a sour face. "With _him_?"

Ranma looked at Louise, then Colbert. "Ceremony?"

"Yes, with him. Hurry up and form a contract. The next class will begin any minute."

Various people chimed in.

"Yes, Louise, hurry up!"

"Form the contract!"

"We don't have all day for you try yet _again_!"

Ranma simmered in annoyance. This was going way too far. People kept talking as if he wasn't here, or were ignoring him altogether. Fine, whatever. He started to just pick a direction at random and go with it until he found Louise standing before him.

"What do you want?"

"You should count yourself fortunate."

Ranma blinked. "Oh, you're talking to me now?"

"Normally, you'd go your whole life without a noble doing this to you."

He perked an eyebrow at the girl. "Uh, what? I just want directions."

Louise closed her eyes, shoulders slightly slumped in resignation. She waved around the wooden stick in her hand.

"My name is Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière. Pentagon of the Five Elemental Powers; bless this humble being, and make him my familiar."

Ranma frowned, watching her as she chanted those same words over and over. Elemental? Blessing? Familiar? None of it made sense. "Uh, lady, I don't know what you're saying but I'm not—"

The wand tapped him on the forehead, making him blink in surprise. What was _that_ supposed to be?

He snapped back to reality when found a pair of pinkish lips on a collision course for his face.

"Wh-whoa, hey now!" he jerked away from the girl, blood rushing to his face. She wasn't about to do what he thought she was going to do, was she? He barely even knew her name! And man, would he'd never hear the end of it from Pop if the old man found out about this!

"Just stay still…" Louise moved in on him again, face drawing near. Ranma again dodged.

The strawberry blonde growled in annoyance. "Stop moving! I have to complete the ritual!"

"No way! I'm not going to let you!"

The crowd snickered.

"Geez…" Louise lunged for Ranma, but he sidestepped her. Quickly she gave chase, shouting at the pigtailed boy, who continued to dodge and evade her for a full minute. The laughter swelled, Louise's face burned from both exertion and mortification, and Mr. Colbert palmed his face in embarrassment.

"Enough," Mr. Colbert finally said, gesturing with his thick staff

The next thing Ranma knew, his feet had taken leave from the ground, his entire body being buoyed by some weird force.

"What the?" He tried to flip, turn, twist, anything to get back to the ground, to no avail. He could just see the bald instructor pointing the staff at him. "What the hell is this!"

"Gotcha!" Louise gasped, arms latching onto him like a starfish with a mussel. A sheen of sweat adorned her brow, a trickle flowing down her cheek. "I'm going to kill you for making me run…"

"Please, continue, Miss Vallière."

Ranma struggled in vain to resist the weird force, to break free. "Put me d—"

Louise's lips pressed to his. Ranma went into a rigid shock; even his braid stood out on end.

The girl withdrew, a clear look of annoyance on her face. "It is done… you stupid familiar."

"Now, now, Miss Vallière, this is a first for history, a human familiar," Mr. Colbert spoke solemnly before his expression brightened. "Besides, while you may have failed 'Summon Servant' several times, you managed to succeed with 'Contract Servant' on your first try!"

"It's just because he's only a commoner."

"If he was a powerful magical beast, she wouldn't have been able to make a contract."

"He's a commoner, and she just barely made that contract! What does that tell you?"

The laughter swept over the field, making Louise turn red all over.

Ranma's brain rebooted. "What the—you kissed me!"

Louise's glare returned. "Shut up; it's not like I wanted to…"

The pigtailed boy started to retort when a wave of fire ripped through his entire body, making him tense all over. The most unintelligible sound squeaked through his throat.

Louise regarded him with a hint of satisfaction in his suffering. "Settle down, it's only the Familiar's Runes being inscribed. Quit being such a baby."

"Fuck… you…" Ranma growled. It felt like someone was pouring molten steel into his body.

Louise colored scarlet as the rest of the crowd "oooh'ed" in shock. "Wh-what kind of commoner are you! Speaking so coarsely among nobles!"

The burning sensation ebbed away and his body cooled. Ranma stopped clenching up, only to glare at Louise. "_YOU_ get set on fire and tell me how good it feels!"

"Why, I—"

"That was remarkably fast," Mr. Colbert replied a little too loudly as he tromped over to check out Ranma's left hand. He blinked in surprise. "Those runes…"

Ranma snatched his hand free to examine it. "Wh-what the hell is this!"

The older man clapped his hands together, a small bout of sweat on his temple. "Well, let's go back to class everyone!"

"Wait a minute!" Ranma turned to face Mr. Colbert, only to be treated to a bewildering sight - everyone from the crowd, including Mr. Colbert was _flying_ from the field. Flying! Like birds!

He stared, watching their figures shrink into the horizon, completely ignoring anything else.

"They're flying," he said dumbly. "They're really flying…"

"Who are you and how _dare_ you embarrass me so!"

Ranma snapped out of his stupor to see that the strawberry blonde was still there.

"How the who the what huh?" He shook his head hard. "Where the hell am I? And why are those guys flying!"

"This is Tristain! And this is the renowned Tristain Academy of Magic!"

Ranma blinked. "Academy of Magic? Like spells and stuff?"

"Yes! I'm a second year student, Louise de La Vallière. I am your Master from now on. Remember that!"

"So, if you can do magic," Ranma continued on, having completely ignored everything past "Yes." "Does that mean you can like… break curses and stuff?"

"I- er-um, w-well, yes, b-but—"

In an instant, Ranma held out a bouquet of flowers. "Louise, was it? We may have begun on the wrong foot. My name is Ranma Saotome. I am pleased to make your acquaintance."

She blinked, a small blush appearing on her face. "Uh, um…"

He took her hand and looked into her eyes warmly. "Please, allow me to escort you back to your place."

She shook her head clear and jerked away. However, it did nothing to the blush on her cheeks. "That's not funny, familiar!"

Ranma made a weird face. "Familiar?"

"Yes, familiar! I summoned you into this world; therefore, that makes me your Master."

He blinked owlishly. "Isn't slavery outlawed?"

"Slavery? This is a time-honored service to a noble; you should count yourself blessed, being the only human familiar in the history of Halkeginia."

"'Honored' wouldn't be quite the word I'd use here," he said flatly before turning on the charm. "Anyway, I just want you to do one little favor for me so I can go on my merry way back to Furinkan. Wherever that is from here."

She looked at him aghast. "'Favor?'" Her face reddened as he scowled. "Favor! How dare a familiar talk so disrespectfully to his Master!"

Ranma scratched his head boredly. While he really, really wanted to get cured of his curse, it was looking less and less appealing to stick with this girl. Already, she was reminding him of that lousy Akane from last night, except there was that whole Master/Slave fixation she had.

"Uh, yeah… whatever you say. Look I gotta get going, so—"

"Wh-what! You're not going anywhere you ignorant familiar! I'm your Master, and you're my familiar! Listen to your Master!"

That did it. "Forget it; I'm outta here."

"Wh-what~!"

"See ya!" He picked a direction at random and started walking.

"Where do you think you're going!" Louise shouted at his back.

"School. I already got enough problems as it is without having to deal with you…"

"W-Wait! Stop! You can't leave me!"

"Oh yes I can."

She tried to tackle him from behind. Not that it did much good, as he continued to walk on as if unimpeded.

"I order you to stop!"

"Not happening."

"Stop, you stupid familiar!"

He sighed, deeply annoyed as the girl had climbed up on his back and was squeezing around his neck as if to prevent him from going. She really didn't have much in the way of strength. He just hoped she didn't decide to bite his head or something.

"Look, I really don't care much for this crazy notion you got about you 'owning' me or something. So, bye."

"You can't do this to me~!"

"No, really, I can." He took a hop up into the trees. Twenty feet, forty feet. Louise squealed and clutched onto him tighter.

"You stupid~! Don't let me fall!"

Ranma made a face at that, continuing his ascent and travel. "What're you worried about? You can do magic; just fly or something."

She squeezed harder. "I can't!"

"What're you talking about? Aren't you some sort of mage?"

"Y-yes, b-but…"

The girl stopped talking and Ranma kept flying from tree limb to tree limb.

Why he hadn't just tossed the girl off now, he hadn't a clue. Maybe because she weighed like next to nothing to him. At any rate, he really needed to get rid of her, or else he'd have to endure his Pop's lecture about why he had to be engaged to the Akane girl.

"T-the truth is… I… am a failure at magic."

Ranma caught hold of a tree, stopping his travel as he glanced at the girl clutching to his back. A quick glance down revealed he was at least a good seventy feet or so from the forest floor. "Say what?"

Her fingers dug into his flesh, legs clamped tightly around his waist. "I… I can't do magic… I barely was able to summon you! And you're a commoner, which _really_ shows how much of a failure I am!"

"…you mean, you can't fly or anything?"

"No!"

He could feel the girl shiver against his back, and it wasn't from cold. Ranma sighed, biting his lip. "All right, all right, I'm sorry. I didn't know, really. Hang on tight."

And with that, he hopped down from branch to branch, ignoring Louise's squeaks of fright until he touched ground.

As soon as he felt the girl light off of his back, she was in his face, her cherub face red and wet with smeared tears. She beat her tiny fists against his chest, repeatedly shouting, "Stupid!" and "You jerk!"

"Hey, I'm sorry! What do you want me to say?" Ranma said, his hands up innocently as he let her beat on him; after all, he _did_ make her cry.

A minute or so passed before the girl took time to catch her breath. Her fists didn't hurt him, but he figured telling her that would only piss her off even more.

"So, we good?" he asked.

She frowned at him. "Are you dense?"

Ranma sighed and took a seat on the ground. "Look, let's start again from the top. What exactly is going on, how did I get here, and what's up with this 'familiar' business?"

Louise started to say something, but took the time to visibly will herself to join him in the sitting. "Fine. I can do that."

"Good."

So they sat, and they talked. And talked. And Ranma was fast getting that sinking feeling that he wasn't anywhere near Nerima. Or Japan for the matter.

* * *

"Wow," Ranma idly commented, munching on a bread roll as he looked at the night sky from Louise's bedroom window. "Who'd've thought there could be two moons in the sky at once?"

"There aren't two moons where you're from?" Louise asked. She eyed the boy with a hint of suspicion from her seated position on her bed. Another world? She summoned someone from another world? Preposterous!

"Nah, just one." He chewed slowly. "I'm really far away from home…"

She frowned and did not answer.

"All this way, just to be some sort of gofer for you… what a waste."

In all of her life, she never once heard of a familiar that just up and _left_ their Master. She had no designs on becoming the first, either. Because this Ranma guy was more than willing to leave. Threats had no meaning to him, and in all honesty, she didn't have any sort of power to stop him if he wished to go, either.

And yet, he decided to stay with her, even help her out if he could. Albeit, with the caveat that she didn't try to claim him like a stray dog.

But he's supposed to be her familiar~! None of it made any sense!

"As I said, I only cast the spell. It's supposed to pick out whoever fits best with the caster's affinity." She looked decidedly dejected. "And since you don't have any special abilities, like say, flight or firebreathing..."

He threw a cocky grin at her. "I'm the best martial artist you'll ever meet."

"…I'm not even certain what that is or how that would count for something."

Ranma shrugged. "Eh, you'll see." He yawned. "Okay, so where's my room?"

"There isn't a room for you. Familiars…"

"My name's Ranma, Zero."

"Stop calling me that!"

"Then start calling me by name!"

"Look, even if I do call you by name, it won't change how anyone else is going to treat you. To them, you're just a commoner. Even moreso, you're the familiar of Louise the Zero!" She snorted, looking off to the side in a huff.

He shrugged. "I don't care what other people think. I'm still just as much a person as anyone."

"You really don't know anything about this world…"

"No, and I don't care, either. I just want a cure for this stupid curse."

She looked away. "Fine, _Ranma_…"

He made an exasperated face. "Don't get so happy over it. Anyway, where would I have normally slept?"

"In the same room as me."

Ranma frowned. "Well, that's going to be awkward…"

"Why's that?"

"Because you're a girl. Guys shouldn't be sleeping in the same room as with a girl, you know?"

"You're a familiar; no one would have thought of you any differently."

"I'm not a pet."

"You're supposed to be something like, a manticore, dragon, hell, even a bird or a dog."

"Not today," he smirked.

Louise gritted her teeth. "You're so obnoxious!"

Ranma stuck his tongue out at her. "Anyway, where do you keep bed mats at?"

As Ranma rooted around her room, Louise almost wished that Ranma guy did get struck by lightning or something. If this is what it meant to have a human familiar, she'd just as soon rather have a cockroach. She just hoped this was nothing more than a bad dream.


	2. Collision Course Realities

AN: This is based on the light novels. You can find most of it translated at the Baka-Tsuki Project

**Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi. Familiar of Zero (Zero no Tsukaima) is owned by Noboru Yamaguchi. All rights reserved.**

**Zero Interface**  
Chapter 2  
Collision Course Realities

Louise sluggishly woke up in the morning light. Yawning she dragged herself out of her comfortable, warm bed, dainty feet finding bedroom slippers almost by instinct.

What a bizarre dream. No, nightmare. It definitely had to be a nightmare. A long, uncomfortable nightmare. It felt real, too real for her liking.

Imagine, a familiar that would not listen to his master. What was the world coming to?

A few steps over, she cracked open her bedroom window to let in fresh air. Hopefully, it would purge the sickening shadow of such unpleasant thoughts.

Sky was blue. Air was crisp. Ranma was doing stuff downstairs in the yard. Birds sang.

Letting loose another yawn, Louise moved away from the window sill. She still had classes to attend to; she needed to get ready.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Louise almost fell out of the window, quick as she had shot back over to it.

Guy with a pigtail. Red sleeveless shirt. Black pants. Kicking and punching and jumping around, shouting with every action like a possessed wild man

He happened to catch sight of her and waved up. "Hey, Louise!" he shouted. "How're you this morning?"

She shut the window.

It wasn't a dream. It really wasn't a dream. Or nightmare. Or anything in between.

Oh, she was going to kill him, then… just wait until she got down to him…

* * *

Ranma shrugged and resumed his kata. "Must not be a morning person."

A few minutes later, he was treated to an explosive "What in the name of Brimir are you doing!"

Glancing at the raving Louise, he halted his kata. "Morning practice. What does it look like?"

"Like a crazy hooligan!"

"Hey! You act like you've never seen martial arts before!"

"And it looks very crude and unrefined, too!"

Ranma had to take a step back, shocked as he was. "Cr-crude!"

"Only riffraff take to flailing their arms and legs about in such an undignified manner."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this," Ranma muttered to himself, still in a state of shock.

"Anyway, why didn't you wake me!"

Ranma blinked. "Why would I want to do that?"

"Idiot! You're supposed to wake me when you wake up!"

"You want to be up at five in the morning?"

Louise opened her mouth, then closed it. "F-five?"

"Well, that's what time I got up, give or take. It's kind of hard to tell, since this place got two moons."

"What are you, a farmer?"

"I told you, I'm the best martial artist you'll ever meet."

She snorted in derision. "If that's martial arts, I should only be too glad to never meet another one like you again."

Ranma's right eye twitched. "Stop talking bad about The Art!"

"Well," Louise smirked. "Looks like someone's grumpy this morning."

He wiped his palms across his brows, pushing her ignorant statements out of his head. "Anyway, where do we eat at? I'm starving."

She made a face. "We'll be dining at the Alvíss Dining Hall."

"Okay. By the way, you are going to change clothes, right? Cause the way the wind's blowing, everyone's gonna end up seeing your panties pretty soon."

She blinked, looked down, and realized she was still in her bedroom dressing. She flushed significantly.

"Stupid!" she cried out, running into the castle as quickly as she could while holding down her nightgown.

* * *

This place was really uncivilized, Ranma thought, returning from his training shortly after Louise ran off. Have they never heard of running water?

Ranma supposed mage's bodily needs were handled by magic of some sort or another. Which seemed a little weird to him. Take a crap and then go "Abracadabra"?

Talk about lazy.

The uncivilized nature of this world also made things a bit dicey for a person that had a curse that was triggered by cold water. So far, it hadn't rained or anything, but it was going to happen soon. He could just feel it in his bones.

And when it happened—

=SPLOOSH=

Ranma blinked, wiping wet hair out of his – well, her at the moment – eyes.

Couldn't even finish the thought…

"S-s-sorry," the young man who had stumbled with a bucket of mop water stammered out, trying to get to his feet. "I-i-it was an accident, honest!"

"Don't worry about it," Ranma sighed.

"I swear, I'll make it up to you, just please, don't tell the other nobles!"

Ranma quirked an eye. What was this guy's problem?

He offered a hand to the guy. "I said don't worry about it."

The man stared at the hand like it was a cobra.

"Come on." Ranma shook the hand out, a little annoyed with the guy's reluctance.

Slowly, surely, the young man did take his hand, and Ranma hoisted him up. A little too much, the guy almost fell forward from the sudden jerk.

"You all right?"

"Y-yes… th-thank you, kind lady."

"No problem. By the way, you wouldn't know where I could get some hot water, do you?"

"I-I can take you."

"Cool, thanks." Ranma followed the young man, wondering just what about his cursed form made the guy so nervous. He never seen a redhead before?

* * *

Masculinity restored, Ranma returned to the hallway where Louise's room was located. Only to run into someone.

"Oh, hey, sorry. I was just looking for Louise."

The redhead woman paused a moment. "Mmm, you're Louise's familiar, aren't you?"

"I'm not a familiar."

The tanned woman was nonplussed. "But you have the Familiar's Runes, do you not? And given the abject failures Louise had before, even summoning a commoner is considerably a marked improvement."

Ranma huffed. Given that the woman wore the same basic outfit as Louise, though she had some rather… considerable assets, he surmised she was another mage, and therefore part of this "nobility" Louise brought up last night. He was going to get home one of these days, if for no other reason that to ignore this entire "commoner" crap.

Just as he was about to let her know that he wasn't going to be anyone's familiar, Ranma caught sight of the giant lizard behind the woman. A giant lizard that breathed fire.

A split second later, Ranma, already having scooped up the redhead mage in his arms, had put a good thirty feet between him and the flame-spewing lizard.

"P-put me down!"

"Are you kidding? If it wasn't for me, Godzilla, Jr. would've made a barbeque out of you!"

"Hmm?" The woman blinked in surprise. "Why would you protect me from my own familiar?"

"Your what?"

She started to smile. "My familiar, Flame. Don't tell me this is your first time seeing a fire lizard?"

Ranma looked off to the side. "Only on tv…"

"Tee vee?"

"Don't worry about it."

"So, do you plan on putting me down now?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah!" Ranma quickly set her onto her feet.

She straightened her cloak and skirt. "So, familiar, what is your name?"

He bit his lip. He _really_ could do without the familiar tag. "Ranma Saotome."

"Ranmasaotome? What an odd name."

"Kirche! What are you doing to my fa—Ranma!"

Ranma and the woman turned to face an irate Louise. "Ah, on a first name basis already," the redhead commented in mirth. "It's just like you to summon a commoner with the 'Summon Servant' spell."

Ranma tuned out the ensuing conversation and instead focused on somehow getting back home. While he knew how he got here, it did nothing for telling him how to get back. Louise admitted to being the worst mage in the school, and since this was a school, it wasn't likely the majority knew how to undo a summoning either.

Maybe a teacher could send him back. Though given what he knew of the so-called nobility here, they'd at best pat him on the head were he to put in a request. That was presuming he didn't just get ignored again like he did yesterday. Even more vexing, for some reason the balding older guy from yesterday was very much against Louise trying to summon another familiar.

"Why wouldn't that Mr. Colbert let you summon something else?"

Both girls broke away from what seemed to have been a violent showdown to regard Ranma.

"Aside from the fact that we would likely still be on the field today?" Kirche spoke, throwing a sidelong at Louise, who tried to pretend to not notice even as she was fuming at the insinuation. "One's familiar is akin to the power of its master, to not only mark our specialty as mages, but help us grow even moreso in power."

"And she summoned a Salamander, of all things…" Louise added, her words laden in a dark jealousy.

"Not just any Fire Lizard; one from the Fire Dragon Mountains! In the eyes of a collector, it's priceless!"

"Uh huh…" Well, guess that explained why Louise was disappointed with summoning him. He, being perfectly an unmagical human and not some monster with nifty skills like firebreathing, wasn't likely to be considered "priceless" by any stretch of imagination in this world. Hardly his fault; these mages were the ones with the screwed-up morals.

But really, over six billion people on Earth, and he was the one singled out. Why?

"Anyway, I'll be off!" Quickly, Kirche rejoined her familiar and they disappeared from the hallway.

"Argh! I hate that woman!"

Ranma nodded. "Yeah, I can understand that."

"Really?" Louise asked, a bit surprised.

"Considering how flat you are, you're probably _really_ envious of her."

Louise still couldn't lay a hand on him, though she tried really hard to smack him for that comment.

* * *

Ranma stared at the arrangement of the Alvíss Dining Hall.

Everything was elegantly designed – table clothes, centerpieces, candles, fruit baskets, the food… A second floor dining arrangement for instructors – Ranma could see Mr. Colbert's bald pate at one of the tables.

"Man, this is just too much…"

"Tristain's Academy of Magic doesn't teach just magic, you know."

"Uh huh..."

"Almost all mages are nobles. The saying 'nobles achieve nobility through the use of magic' is a foundation for the education we receive as nobles. Thus, our dining halls must also be fitting of a noble's status."

"Oh, it shows… It really shows..."

"Good. Normally, a commoner like you would never set foot inside the Alvíss Dining Hall. Be grateful."

"I don't know about that."

Louise threw him a look. "What does that mean?"

"It just feels weird, being in a place this fancy, especially since I've been on the road training from when I was two to… well, yesterday."

He lifted a plate up. It felt like a fortune in his fingertips.

"Put that plate down!"

Ranma was already complying. "This… this is just a little too much for me. Summonings, fire lizards, dining finer than anything I've ever seen on tv…" He shook his head and turned away from Louise. "I'm just going to go get something from the kitchen and eat outside, okay?"

"Wh-what?"

"I'll see you in an hour."

"B-but—!"

Ranma slipped out of the dining hall and into the kitchen.

* * *

Louise stared at Ranma's retreating back dumbstruck. Just what in the world was wrong with him! A commoner turning down eating at the Alvíss Dining Hall, and so casually, too… it was just unheard of!

What kind of familiar did she get herself? Turning back to the table, something looked off.

The plate Ranma had picked up earlier wasn't where he set it down. Not to mention someone seemed to have disturbed the fruit basket. And on top of it all, half the chicken was missing!

Something was wrong with this picture…

* * *

"Man, it sucks not having chop sticks," Ranma thought idly as he chewed on a piece of chicken breast before chasing it down with a grape.

He made a note to himself - next time, pick up a fork before leaving the dining hall.

* * *

"We're going to class now?" Ranma said, puzzled.

"Of course, we're going to class," Louise said tersely. "This is an academy, remember?"

"Huh… didn't realize I needed higher education while I'm here, too. I'd've brought my book bag with me then." Not that he really missed it, of course; however, aside from the clothes on his back, it was all the possessions he had with him when he ended up in this world.

Louise cleared her throat. "This is a _magic_ academy. As in for mages. You're just… whatever, okay?"

Ranma was nonplussed. "Well, maybe I can learn to do magic, too."

Louise paled a bit. "D-don't be stupid! You're a commoner! You're worse than a commoner!"

"Yeah, yeah," Ranma spoke, blithely ignoring her. "But you know, I won't really know unless I try it. So, knock it off already."

"I refuse!"

He sighed. "Don't get so annoyed about it. Right now, I just want to be left alone if everyone's going to be so patronizing at best to me, just 'cause you summoned me here."

Louise sulked. "I don't want you to be able to do magic," she mumbled. "It'd just make me look even more pathetic…"

Ranma eyed her for a moment. She did have a point, but if she was so bad at magic, why was she at a school for mages?

There was tug at his conscience. Last night, he made a promise to try and help the poor kid out since, well, being a mage here was such a big deal to her. But just what could he do but learn how this magic thing works here?

"Well, I got an idea."

"We're going to be late."

And Ranma decided to save his idea for later. Maybe he could get something more from her studies.

* * *

It was like he stepped into a college lecture hall. With stone seats.

As he and Louise came into the room, all student heads turned their way. And they began to laugh. Most likely at them.

Yeah, this was shaping up to be a wonderful day, Ranma noted.

Looking around, he caught a glance at the redhead girl from earlier – Kirche? – surrounded by boys.

Didn't take three guesses to answer the why to that question.

Other faces he seen only vaguely or in passing. And what he took to be their familiars.

There were definitely some bizarre creatures in the room. A six-legged lizard, a giant floating eye, an octopus-like thing… And there were some rather mundane things. Owls, ravens, a giant snake in the window…

However, nothing prepared him for the most nightmarish of all the creatures. No matter what, nothing could beat it in the sheer terror it brought to people.

=MEOW=

Louise suddenly found Ranma standing on the other side of the classroom near the wall.

"G-good seats over here. W-we should be able to hear plenty!"

"You're weird."

"Tr-trust me," he tried speaking calmly, warily eyeing the back. Crap! There were _two_ of those hell beasts in here!

Louise didn't have the energy to get into another argument, so she reluctantly decided to take his advice and plopped into a seat. Ranma carefully slid into the seat beside her.

"You know, familiars aren't allowed to sit in these seats, but you're probably—"

"You know what, you're absolutely right, I should stand up here by the wall. Just in case."

Louise stared in shock. The guy that complained about people treating him like a familiar, taking heed of the rules?

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What're you playing at?"

"N-nothing… just… looking out for you." He whistled a poor-sounding tune, trying to not-so-casually take stock of the classroom.

"Uh huh…" Let him be a weirdo; she had more important things to do at the moment.

The classroom door opened, revealing the teacher. A middle aged woman dressed in a voluminous violet robe and a hat. She had a plump, round face with a very kind expression.

"So that's the teacher?" Ranma asked as the class settled down.

"Yes…"

Noting where the two hell beasts were, Ranma quickly seated himself beside Louise. Who gave him a look.

"All clear, ma'am."

She palmed her face. If it wasn't one thing, it was another.

"Well, everyone, it seems that the Springtime Familiar Summoning was a great success. I, Mrs. Chevreuse, always enjoy seeing the new familiars that are summoned each spring."

Louise sighed sadly.

"My, my. You've summoned quite a... peculiar familiar, Miss Vallière," the teacher remarked, looking at Ranma. While it sounded rather harmless a statement, the class erupted in laughter.

"Louise the Zero! Don't go around grabbing random commoners off the street just because you can't summon anything!"

Fire burned in the strawberry blonde's eyes as she round on her detractor. "No! I did everything properly! He was all that appeared!"

"Don't lie!" a nebbish pudgy boy cried out. "I bet you couldn't even cast 'Summon Servant' properly, right?"

The other students chuckled. Ranma sat with a nonplussed look.

"Mrs. Chevreuse! Malicorne the 'Common Cold' just insulted me!"

"Common cold? I'm Malicorne the Windward! I haven't caught any cold!"

"Well, your hoarse voice sounds exactly like you've caught one!"

The boy called Malicorne stood up and glared at Louise. Chevreuse pointed at them with the wand in her hand. The two suddenly jerked about like puppets on a string and rigidly sat back down.

Ranma blinked at that. Was that what Mr. Colbert did to him yesterday?

"Miss Vallière, Mister Malicorne. Please stop this unnecessary argument. Calling friends 'Zero' or 'Common Cold' is not acceptable. Do you understand?"

Malicorne spoke first. "Mrs. Chevreuse, I'm only called that as a joke, but for Louise, it's the truth."

More giggles broke from among the students.

Mrs. Chevreuse frowned severely. Taking a quick tally in her mind, she waved her wand once again.

Several students found their mouths crammed with red clay.

Ranma almost whistled, but sucked back his lips instead. While he wanted to learn a bit more about this world's magic, he wasn't eager to find out about it firsthand. Especially not in that manner.

"You people shall continue the lesson in that state."

No one dared even to smile after that. Not that Ranma blamed them.

"Now then, let's begin the lesson."

Mrs. Chevreuse coughed heavily and waved her wand. A few small stones materialized on her desktop.

"My Runic name is 'Red Clay.' Chevreuse the Red Clay. This year, I will be teaching you all the magic of the Earth element. Do you know the four great elements of magic, Mister Malicorne?"

"Y-Yes, Mrs. Chevreuse. They are Fire, Water, Earth and Wind."

Mrs. Chevreuse nodded in agreement.

"And combined with the now-lost element of 'Void,' there are five elements in total - as everyone should already know. Of the five elements, I believe Earth holds an extremely important position. This isn't just because my affinity is Earth, nor is it simply a personal preference."

The immodest coughing suggested otherwise, but it was a start for Ranma. So, in this world there were five elements one could use. Earth, fire, wind, water and void. Something about one of them being lost or something, which didn't make much sense to Ranma. If it was a major element for magic, how on earth could they just "lose" it?

"Now, everyone, please recall that the basic magic of the Earth element is 'transmutation'. While there will be people here who have already learned this in their first year, basics build foundations, so let's review it once more."

Mrs. Chevreuse returned her attention to the stones on her desk. With a twirl of her wand and a few spoken words, the stones began glowing brightly.

When the light dimmed away…

Kirche spoke up as if reading Ranma's thoughts. "Is that g-g-gold, Mrs. Chevreuse!"

Mrs. Chevreuse turned to the shining lumps of metal on her desk. "I'm afraid not, Miss Zerbst. It's but ordinary brass. Only Square-class mages are able to transmute to gold. I'm just..." Mrs. Chevreuse once again had an immodest cough. "A Triangle mage..."

Square-class mages? Triangle mage? He didn't get it. However, one can just turn items into gold, which was mindboggling. But how? What's the difference between a Square-class and a Triangle-class?

He poked Louise.

"What?" she hissed through gritted teeth. "We're in the middle of class!"

"What exactly is this triangle-square class thing about?"

She huffed but spoke in a low voice. "It's the number of elements that they can add to a spell, which also determines the level of a mage."

"Huh?"

"See, for example, you can use an Earth spell on its own. But if you add Fire magic to it, the overall power of the spell increases greatly."

"Uh huh…" So, more elements you can use, the more powerful a mage you are. Seemed kind of simple.

"Those who can combine two elements – for example, Fire and Earth – together are called Line mages. Mrs. Chevreuse, being able to combine three elements, Earth-Earth-Fire, is a Triangle mage."

"Earth-Earth-Fire? What does that do, using the same element twice in a spell?"

"It reinforces that element and makes it stronger."

"Oh…" So, in a nutshell, Mrs. Chevreuse was doing a little bit of showboating for the class, name-dropping her Triangle status. Regardless, it seemed somewhat simple to him, having it explained to him. So, what if you could use all five elements?

Just as he started to question Louise about it, Mrs. Chevreuse cleared her throat in their direction. Ranma sweated, fearing they were going to be eating red clay themselves.

"Miss Vallière!"

Louise jumped. "Y-Yes?"

"Please refrain from private chatter during lessons."

"I'm sorry..." She threw a glare at Ranma, who just shrugged. He really wanted to know the answers, though.

"Since you have the time to make small talk, perhaps I should have you demonstrate for me?"

Louise jumped again, eyes wide. "Eh? Me?"

The woman nodded, gesturing towards the table with the transformed rocks. "Yes. Try changing these stones into a metal of your choice."

Instead of getting up, Louise looked very troubled.

"Miss Vallière! Is something the matter?"

Other than she can't perform magic worth spit? Ranma thought to himself. His conscience picked at him; even if she was obnoxious, she really didn't need (another) course of public humiliation.

Just as he started to stand up, someone else interjected. Kirche.

"Umm, Mrs. Chevreuse…"

"Yes?"

"I think it would be better if you didn't let her..."

The teacher looked perplexed. "And why is that?"

"It's dangerous," Kirche answered plainly. The majority of the class nodded in agreement.

Ranma's brows furrowed. How on earth could Louise failing to get any results be considered "dangerous?"

"How so?"

Kirche tried reasoning. "This is your first time teaching Louise, right?"

"It is, but I hear she's a hard worker. Now, Miss Vallière. Don't you worry, just try it. You won't be able to do anything if you dread making mistakes."

"Don't, Louise!" Kirche cried, her face pale.

Ranma looked from the teacher to Kirche, to every other face he could make out. Save for the teacher, they all looked scared. It made the hairs on the back of Ranma's neck stand up, so tense the air was.

"I'll do it," Louise spoke softly, pushing herself into a standing position.

Nervously, she quickly made her way to the front.

Mrs. Chevreuse stood next to Louise and smiled.

As the teacher walked her through instruction on how to transmute the stones into a different metal, danger senses began to scream in Ranma's head. Some of the familiars looked a bit agitated. Students were holding their breaths.

He didn't understand, even as his body started to move of its own accord to take place behind the desk. Why would Louise be considered—

=BOOM=

It was absolute pandemonium. People went flying. Glass shattered. Familiars ran amok (and according to the screams, at least one got eaten (those hell beasts? Please? Pretty please?)). Smoke and soot filled the area, making it hard to see. And for a moment, Ranma thought something furry with claws had pounced upon his back.

Somehow, he only smashed through the classroom door in his blind panic before discovering it was some kind of really big spider.

After a few minutes, things settled down, causalities noted.

Mrs. Chevreuse was out like a light, having been at ground zero. Her limbs occasionally twitched like a dying cockroach.

Louise, for the matter, was completely sooty, her clothes torn in various places, including a very revealing gash through her skirt.

Striped undies did not suit her.

Other than that, though, she was relatively fine as she took out a handkerchief to wipe her face clean. Odd, considering she was even closer to the blast than the teacher.

"Looks like I messed up a little..." she spoke weakly, trying to play it off.

The uproar from her fellow students made it clear they were _not_ amused.

* * *

"…I have no idea failure was so… catastrophic." Ranma remarked as he helped Louise clean up the classroom. He had already put in the new glass (though those lazy bastards could have wand-waved it into place instead of making him do it – it was their fault for not warning the new teacher about Louise's "talent").

Louise, for the matter, was silent through the whole process. She cleaned like a zombie with arthritis. The look on her face was even more devastated than the classroom itself.

"Do all spells blow up like that when they go wrong?"

She didn't answer.

Ranma frowned.

"Okay, so you just destroyed a classroom today. Big deal. I'm certain you can do better next time!"

"I've destroyed almost every classroom in the school at least once."

Well, so much for a pep talk.

"…I turn into a girl when hit with cold water."

Louise regarded him blankly.

"Do you have any idea how traumatic it is to lose your gender?"

She continued to stare at him, her eyes unseeing.

Ranma frowned. "What?"

"…"

He gave up.

Looking at how filthy the water was, he opted to go change it. At this rate, they'd be here till after lunch.

=SPLOOSH=

"Why me?" Ranma sighed, noticing his voice had went up a few octaves. He hadn't even made it through the classroom door.

"S-sorry, miss!"

Ranma recognized the young man with the mop. "Oh, hey, it's you from this morning. What's going on?"

"W-well, I heard about what happened, and… um…"

"You want to help?"

The man quickly nodded. "A-as thanks for this morning… though…"

Ranma sighed. "It's no big deal. Stuff like this happens all the time. Come in, come in."

Just because Louise was forbidden from using magic to clean up the classroom (ha!) didn't mean he himself – well, herself – couldn't sweet talk someone else into helping out.

As he led the young man in, he realized he didn't know his name. Which might come in handy should he need someone to find him more hot water.

"So, hey, what's your—"

The sudden gasp from the only other room occupant drew Ranma's attention. He found Louise backing away from the two of them, her eyes wide in horror, one hand over her mouth the other shakily pointing her wand at him specifically.

Ranma blinked. "What?"

The young man looked at Louise and then Ranma. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't know you had a twin sister…"

Ranma blinked at the man. "Hah?"


	3. Thicker Than Bronze

**Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi. Familiar of Zero (Zero no Tsukaima) is owned by Noboru Yamaguchi. All rights reserved.**

**Zero Interface**  
Chapter 3  
Thicker Than Bronze

"Louise, put the wand down," Ranma spoke, slowly approaching her with his hands up.

"I will not! Just how did you get my face!"

The girl had backed herself all the way into the back of the lecture hall. There was no door at the top.

"Louise, please. Put the wand down. We really don't want to have to re-clean the classroom again."

"Answer my question!"

"I don't know! Last I checked, I turned into a short redhead." Ranma felt his transformed body. "With bigger tits."

"Stop touching my body!"

"Hey, it's my body at the moment!"

Now Louise had fully put herself into a corner. "What are you, some kind of doppelganger? Have you come to replace me? Th-that's it, isn't it?"

"Louise, I have no intention of doing anything of the like."

"Yes you do!" she cried out, her pitch bordering hysterical.

Ranma made his move, knocking away the wand lightning quick and pinning her bodily against the wall, hand over her mouth.

"Louise, shut up and listen," Ranma spoke in hushed tones as she struggled in vain against him. "I don't know why I'm here or why my curse is suddenly making me look like you, but it's not to replace you or anything." At least he didn't think so, given how screwy this world was being with him at the moment, but digression aside. "What I do know is that I made a promise to help you out in any way that I can, and I'm going to uphold that promise until I leave this place. So _relax_; you're scaring the spit out the guy. Okay?"

Though Louise couldn't speak with her mouth, her reddish brown eyes did all the talking. And it was about to get emotional, quick.

Ranma looked down to the lecture floor at the bewildered young man. "Could you give me a moment with myself?"

The man nodded dumbly and started to leave.

"Oh, and can you bring me some hot water in about thirty minutes?"

Another dumb nod.

He grinned. "Thanks!"

The man left, closing the door. Ranma released his hold on Louise. And Louise fell into his – her chest, bawling.

Hoo boy, did he know how to pick them…

* * *

"So, you all right?" Ranma asked, as they sat at the teacher's desk in the half-cleaned classroom.

"Yes, very much, thank you," Louise responded, her composure returned. She gave him a warning look. "Don't tell anyone about this, though. Especially not that Zerbst."

"Who?"

"The big-breasted slut you ran into earlier."

"Ah, Kirche, was it?"

She gave him a suspicious look. "You remember that name awfully well."

Ranma shrugged. "She had red hair like I did before… whatever happened. I thought the guy was just being weird with me earlier 'cause he never met a redhead before. Didn't know I looked like you till now."

Louise 'hmphed,' crossing her arms beneath her small breasts. "A likely story…"

He ignored her disbelief. "Does everyone else's spell blows up like yours?"

She shrugged. "Not that I know of."

"Hmm…"

"What?"

"You tried all five elements?"

"Five?"

"Yeah, Mrs. Chevrolet said something about there being five elements – earth, fire, wind, water and void."

"There's only four we use. The other one's lost."

Ranma made a face. "How did you guys lose an entire element?"

"No one ever had an affinity for it since the Founder."

"The Founder?"

"Brimir. He created the lands as they are today – Tristain, Albion, Gallia and Romalia – using Void magic."

"How would you—"

"Oh, Brimir…"

Both Ranma and Louise looked up to see Mrs. Chevruese staring at them, her mouth agape.

"Th-there's t… t…two~o… two… oh, my…" Her eyes rolled up and she started to fall forward. Ranma shot out and quickly caught the woman before she smashed facefirst into the floor.

"Well, that went well," Louise remarked dryly, looking at herself hefting the teacher up in her arms.

* * *

_Somehow_, despite the interruptions and delays, they managed to get the classroom clean before lunch and Ranma's gender restored. Mostly because Louise didn't want to look at herself, nor let anyone else find out about the new development.

"So, why would I look like you?" Ranma asked in low tones as he and Louise made their way towards the dining hall.

She thought about it. "Perhaps it's yet another benefit of the Familiar Runes."

"What?"

"When a master has a familiar, he can see and hear what the familiar sees and hears."

Ranma thought about that. "Does it work in reverse, too?"

"I wouldn't think so. After all, what would a familiar need to know of its master?"

Given what Ranma had learned in his two days of being in Tristain, all familiars were some sort of animal, mythical or otherwise, thus, Louise made a valid point. Still…

"Anyway," Ranma spoke. "I'm going over to the kitchen."

"W-wait!"

"What?"

"I…" Louise bit her lip. "…nothing."

Ranma looked at the girl, then shrugged. "All right. See you in an hour."

Louise looked away. "Yes… see you in an hour."

* * *

Ranma slipped into the warm, bustling kitchen, deftly side stepping various cooks and maids that flowed through the cooking space.

He had to admit, he knew relatively nothing about this world, so it might be rude as hell for him to just march in and ask for food. Then again, sitting around all those "nobles" in such a decadent setting didn't make him feel very good, either. Thus, he opted for "rude as hell" and decided to stop the first maid he saw.

"Hey, excuse me, but—"

The young woman gasped, looking at the back of Ranma's hand. "Aren't you Miss Vallière's familiar?"

"…Louise _summoned_ me, yes…"

The maid smiled sweetly. "It's become quite the rumor, that a commoner was called by summoning magic."

Ranma blinked. You know, this maid was rather cute, smiling like that. "Um, yeah…" He coughed lightly. "Well, anyway, my name's Ranma. Ranma Saotome."

"What an unusual name. My name is Siesta."

=GURGLE=

Ranma had the decency to look embarrassed as his stomach decided to talk to Siesta, who chuckled a little.

"You must be hungry."

"A little…"

"Please follow me this way."

Ranma nodded, falling in line with the girl.

* * *

The meal Siesta had given him was delicious. Even more so than what he had sampled from the dining hall that morning. Probably because it didn't remind him of the decadent nature of the "nobility" that made up the vast majority of the people here.

Plus, Siesta gave him a free pass to come back whenever he'd like, if he didn't mind eating what the staff ate.

Awesome.

So awesome that he ended up talking Siesta into letting him help her out with something. He didn't want to seem ungrateful. Also, Ranma had to admit to himself that he could get used to seeing her smile.

He handled carrying the large silver tray from table to table while Siesta served up each dessert cake with a pair of tongs. As she served, he observed. It was just a waste to him, the way these students just sat around in gross splendor, all because they could flick a wrist and make something happen.

Like the one guy talking with his friends beside him. Blond curly hair, a shirt bedecked in frills, and a rose sticking out of his shirt pocket. He just seemed like a big ol' pile of arrogance and ingratitude. It was somewhat annoying to his senses.

"Come on, tell us, Guiche. Who's your lover?"

"My lover? I do not hold just one woman upon a pedestal; after all, a rose blooms for everyone."

Ranma frowned, trying to wrap his brain around that. Was he just comparing himself to a rose?

As the blonde boy gestured, a small stoppered vial tumbled free from his pocket. Ranma's foot snaked out to catch it before it broke on the tiled floor. A quick flick up and the vial was popped up into Ranma's waiting hand.

"Hey, you dropped this," he spoke, placing the glass container on the table before Guiche.

Ranma blinked as the boy steadfastly refused to acknowledge its existence, even tried to push it away. He shrugged and turned his attention back to helping Siesta.

Not even half a minute later, a girl broke out in tears. Both Ranma and Siesta looked up to see a younger girl with brown hair whom they had just served haul off and slap the blond student. Hard.

Ranma thought Guiche was going to spin around in his seat like a top.

"That perfume in your pocket is more than enough proof! Goodbye!"

Another girl, blonde with tightly rolled tresses approached rapidly, her face locked in a severe expression. Guiche turned to her, palm print reddening on his face.

"Montmorency. This is a misunderstanding. All I did was accompany her on a long trip to the forests of La Rochelle," The blond boy spoke quickly. He worked at being composed and indifferent, but Ranma could see him sweat under the pressure.

"Just as I thought! You've been making moves on that first year, haven't you!"

"Please, Montmorency the Fragrance!"

Did everyone here have a weird title affixed to their name?

Montmorency the Fragrance lived up to her name as she spread a scent on the blond – the scent of his wine dumped all over his head.

"You liar!" she bellowed before storming off.

The dining hall was deathly quiet. The blond, for his part, simply pulled a handkerchief and slowly wiped his face.

"It would seem those ladies do not understand the meaning of a rose's existence," he spoke with conviction.

Ranma couldn't help it. He broke out laughing. What a rube…

The blond leveled his glare upon the pigtailed boy. "You."

Ranma, still chuckling, looked up. "What?"

The blond slowly spun around in his seat to face him. "Thanks to your thoughtlessness in picking up the perfume bottle, the reputation of two ladies has been tarnished. How do you plan to take responsibility?"

Ranma stared at him blankly. "Um, by calling you a jackass moron for two-timing them?"

Guiche's friends broke out laughing.

"He has you there, Guiche!"

The boy's face burned indignantly.

"Listen, servant boy—"

Ranma looked at him flatly. "I'm not your boy, nor am I anyone's servant."

The blond paused, then studied Ranma's face closer. "Ah, that's right… you're that commoner Louise the Zero summoned… Shameful of me to expect you to have any sort of proper education." He made a flippant gesture and turned back in his seat. "You're dismissed."

Ranma was taken aback by this. His eyes narrowed slightly. "Well, gee, if that's how you're going to be, no wonder you're a two-timing loser."

Guiche spun back around, his eyes wide and angry. "Wh-what did you say?"

"A loser. You couldn't charm a bracelet if your life depended on it."

Guiche's friends ooh'd at that comment. The blond glowered.

"You dare address me in such a manner?"

Ranma had slipped an arm around the boy's neck, serving tray balanced on one hand. "Look, Guiche, was it? I know you're probably inexperienced and everything, so I'll tell you what. I'll give you a bit of the ol' Saotome advice on women, make you into a real man."

Guiche's temper boiled over. "Unhand me this instant!"

Ranma hopped back. "What? I'm trying to help you out!"

He stood up shaking in rage. "Never before in my life have I been _so_ insulted! You, I challenge to a duel!"

Ranma blinked. "A duel?"

"Yes, exactly, you stupid familiar! A duel!"

Ranma looked at the incensed Guiche then towards the shellshocked Siesta.

"Hey, Siesta, hold this for me, willya?"

She numbly took the proffered serving tray, trembling as she did so.

He turned back to the nobleman with a grin. "By the way, my name's not 'familiar.' It's Ranma Saotome, heir to the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts, and I accept your challenge!"

Guiche had taken a step back at the sheer… joy on Ranma's face. He pushed it aside. "I'll meet you at the Vestri Court. Come once you've finished delivering those cakes."

"I'll be there in a minute."

With that the boy moved towards the dining room doors, flanked by his excited friends. One remained, as if Ranma would have second thoughts and chicken out.

"Well," he started taking the tray back from Siesta with a smile. "Let's get these delivered."

"You… you're going to be killed!"

"By him? Phft! He couldn't kill a fly."

"B-but, he's nobility!"

"And I'm Ranma Saotome, heir to the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts. I will not lose to a pompous airbag that can't even own up to his own mistakes."

Tears started to form in her eyes, and Siesta suddenly ran off.

"Hey! Siesta! What about these cakes!" When she didn't return, Ranma shrugged and helped himself to one of the sweets.

It tasted pretty good.

"Ranma!"

He turned around to see Louise running up to him, her eyes wide. He waved at her pleasantly. "Yo, Louise, you get a cake already? It's pretty tasty."

She swatted the cake out of his hand. "This is no time for cake!"

"Hey! I was eating that!"

"How can you go around promising duels like it's no big deal!"

"Because it isn't a big deal. I doubt he can even stand up in a good strong wind."

She gritted her teeth. "Apologize to him."

Ranma quirked an eyebrow. "Say what?"

"I said, apologize. If you do that, he may be willing to forget the whole thing."

"Oh, please, Louise. I'll be back in a minute. All I'm gonna do is play with him."

"'Play?' Ranma, you'll be lucky if you come back in a few pieces, let alone alive! Just go apologize already!"

"No."

"Ranma!"

He turned to the guy that had stayed behind. "Where's the Vestri Court?"

He thumbed in a direction. "That way."

"Thanks." As he started to walk, Louise grabbed hold of his arm.

"Ranma, a commoner cannot beat a mage! It's two completely different worlds. It's impossible!"

Ranma threw her a cocky grin. "Well, let's make history then."

* * *

Approaching what seemed to be a huge garden area situated between two towers, Ranma had last-minute reservations about this battle. Maybe it would have been smarter to figure out whether or not the guy used water as an element. Given what happened to his curse, it might have been more prudent to just not have egged the guy on.

Louise followed him silently, but he could feel her fear on his back.

"I'm not gonna lose," he spoke without looking at her.

"That's not what I'm worried about…"

Ranma thought for a second. "He doesn't… you know, use water or something?"

"Not that I know of."

"Oh, good."

Louise stared at him. "You mean to tell me, you accepted a duel and didn't even think that far ahead!"

He shrugged.

"Don't you dare shrug at me!"

"It's not like I'm gonna lose or something."

Louise growled.

As the two pulled into view, Louise stared at the large crowd that had developed to bear witness to a fight between commoner and nobleman. Upon being sighted, the crowd parted to let them into the center of the field, where Guiche stood, his rose wand out and held within his folded arms.

"I'm glad to see that you have some guts in coming after all."

"I was going to say the same thing to you."

Guiche snorted. "I'll have something done about that false bravado." He flicked his wand and a single rose petal fluttered towards the earth. Upon impact, up sprang an armored female-shaped statue about his height that gleamed where the sun touched it.

Ranma scratched his head. "Er, what's that?"

"I suppose I should tell you. My runic name is 'the Bronze.' I am Guiche the Bronze."

"Okay, so what does that have to so with that thing?"

"She is a bronze golem that I had created. I call her Valkyrie." His eyes turned on Ranma, a devious grin on his face.

"You may call her your downfall."

"Really?" Ranma asked, already all over the Valkyrie, inspecting the golem from all angles. "Man, this is cool! How'd you get it to move?"

Guiche seethed. "Like this!"

The golem struck out at Ranma standing not a foot away.

Louise gasped. For all his blustering, there was no way Ranma could take a hit like that.

Unsurprisingly he didn't.

Surprisingly, to all the magi present, he had sidestepping the blow while continuing his inspection. It was as if he didn't even notice it coming! "I had no idea you could make it move! I thought you just did useless things with magic."

"Lucky move," Guiche spoke, a little bit of sweat breaking out from watching him evade. "Valkyrie!"

The bronze golem attacked again. And again. And again.

Ranma sidestepped, swayed or dodged every attack. All while still checking out how the golem moved.

"I got to admit, this is really damn cool, but it doesn't seem all that solid. Mind if I test it out?"

With that, he kicked the humanoid machine in the solar plexus

Its body crumpled like an aluminum can as it went flying out of the ring of magi gathered to watch the fight.

Everyone froze. Louise sweated. Guiche panicked. Ranma shielded his eyes and sighed in disappointment.

"Man, could you make something a little studier next time?"

"N-n-no mercy!" the blond boy cried, lashing out with his wand. Six more petals fluttered free, to bloom into six more Valkyries.

He whistled. "Well, that's pretty impressive, too, I think," Ranma spoke, sliding into a ready stance. Even if the golems were all weak, a growing number of them against him would make things dicey. All they needed was to get lucky once.

The runes on the back of Ranma's hand began to glow, but Ranma paid it no mind. All he could hear was a song in his soul. A beautiful, awe-inspiring song for a warrior.

The golems lunged forth and Ranma blurred. Awful screams of metal being rent apart tore through the field, chilling the crowd as they watched bronze golems almost burst into tiny pieces.

Guiche could only stare slack-jawed as his beautiful creations practically disintegrated before his eyes. And then Ranma was standing right in his face, a perplexed look on his face.

The blond boy almost soiled himself yelping in his attempt to get away.

Ranma looked at his hands, then at the field where there were glittering shards of bronze everywhere. He looked at his hands again as if seeing them for the first time.

"Wow…" was all he could breathe. His mouth opened, closed, but he wasn't able to find the words.

"My lovely Valkyries!"

Ranma snapped out of his stupor to see Guiche weep terribly as he clutched half of a Valkyrie's head in his hands.

"Um, got any more?" Ranma asked, feeling a bit sheepish.

Guiche wept even harder.

"Er, guess not?"

* * *

Headmaster Osmond stood with Mr. Colbert as they viewed the fight through the Far-Seeing Mirror in the Headmaster's office.

"…"

Mr. Colbert had to remember to close his mouth. "A-a-amazing! That's a Gandalfr's true power?"

"Are you sure that boy is just a commoner?" Osmond asked, licking his lips that had became dry from shock.

"That's… the odd thing. When I cast a Detect Magic spell on him, the results were inconclusive."

"Inconclusive?"

"It's odd. It said that he has magic in him, but at the same time, he doesn't have _any_ magic."

"Hrm." Osmond sat down at his desk. "Puzzling."

Mr. Colbert agreed. "Do you have an answer to this seemingly impossible result?"

"Hmm... At this point, we'll have to wait and see, discover whatever mystery there is to this Ranma Saotome. You said he wasn't very cooperative?"

"I had to use magic to keep him still in order for Miss Vallière to complete the contract."

"Well, in that case, keep an eye on him and Miss Vallière. At any rate, there are some matters I must attend to."

"Yes, sir." With that, Mr. Colbert left the headmaster's office.

Old Osmond picked up a report on his desk, concerning Chevruese of the Red Clay. It seemed that Louise must have traumatized her worse than the healer on staff thought, as she claimed to have seen _two_ Louises cleaning up the classroom.

Two Louises…

The thought alone made Osmond seriously consider retirement on the spot, as unnerving as the prospect. Perhaps he should give Chevruese the rest of the week off; clearly, she needed the rest.


	4. Zero Point

**Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi. Familiar of Zero (Zero no Tsukaima) is owned by Noboru Yamaguchi. All rights reserved.**

**Zero Interface**  
Chapter 4  
Zero Point

"I thought you weren't a mage!"

"I'm not."

"Then how do you explain what you did back at Vestri Court!"

"Martial arts."

"Martial arts! That looked _nothing_ like that hooligan stuff you were doing this morning!"

Ranma sighed. They were sitting back at Louise's room immediately after the "duel" as it were with Guiche. Supposedly for a "private conversation," but it was quickly turning into a rant at him.

He threw on a smirk. "Well, I won, didn't I?"

"That's beside the point!" she cried out, grabbing him by the shirt. "What are you doing here in the first place!"

"You know, if I knew the answer to that, I wouldn't be here."

The little strawberry blonde threw her hands up in frustration. "I can't believe this! Why do I have a familiar like you!"

Ranma scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Well, I am pretty good at figuring stuff out." He blinked. "And I'm not a familiar."

She threw herself backwards onto her bed. "It's not fair…"

"Oh, stop sulking, Louise. I think you got some real talent in you."

"Stop trying to make me feel better," she spoke, a defeated tone in her words.

"No, really. I mean, you've failed at earth, wind, fire and water, right?"

The unintelligible groan sounded like an agreement, though he couldn't be certain.

"Well, and I'm just going on what I know, but…"

When Ranma didn't say anything else, Louise lifted her head. "But, what?"

"Mmm… what about Void? The lost Art."

It was the first time he had ever seen the girl unable to say something in response.

And for witnessing such an event, Louise unceremoniously threw him out of her room.

Ranma blinked as the door slammed shut in his face, then scowled. "Talk about an ungrateful little—"

"Gotcha!"

=SPLOOSH=

"Missed, Danica! "Now what page was I on… 'His strong manly hands probed every crevice of her silken femininity—'"

"Celeste! Get back here with my book!"

The two girls blasted past a sodden Ranma-Louise, who blew her now-wet pink locks out of her face.

"I'm really starting to hate this place," he grumbled. Time to get some more hot water.

In his annoyance, Ranma completely missed the red shadow that was watching him.

* * *

Ranma sighed as he upended a pot of hot water onto his head, reverting back to his masculine self. It was becoming something of a bother to not have ready-made hot water at hand. Replacing the pot on the stove top, he turned to leave the kitchen he had snuck into.

And ran into Siesta.

"R-Ranma!"

"Yo, Siesta."

"A-are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." He flexed his hand open and closed rapidly. "Those Valkyries were a bunch of pushovers, though."

"Valkyries?"

"Yeah, those golem things Guiche sent after me."

Siesta's eyes widened. "So, it's really true, the rumors?"

"Rumors?"

"That you defeated a mage."

"Yeah. It's not like it's a big deal or anything."

"Not a big deal!" a booming voice erupted from behind Siesta, startling both her and Ranma.

A heavyset man looking to be in his forties wearing fine fabric, if of a simple style, smiled. "In a land were nobility outclasses the commoner, a commoner defeating a mage is a huge deal! Especially one that does so by means of his bare fists!"

"Hey, Siesta, who's this guy?" Ranma asked.

"S-sir!"

The man laughed and clapped Ranma on the shoulder. "Call me Marteau,'Our Fist!'"

Ranma blinked. "Our what?"

"'Our Fist!' Because a commoner defeated a mage with only his fists! We must be reminded that such things as magic and nobility should not hold sway over our very lives, and what better way than to remind commoners of you as 'Our Fist!'"

Huh… Ranma kind of liked the sound of that.

"Let me kiss your forehead, 'Our Fist!'"

"Whoa, hey!" Ranma quickly evaded Marteau's hands. "No kissing the forehead."

He laughed it off. "So, tell me, how exactly did you defeat that noble kid?"

"Martial arts."

"Hmm… martial arts, huh… where did you learn that from?"

"My Pop. He's been training me since I was two."

Marteau's face lit up in surprise. "_Wow_… Do you think he could teach a me thing or two?"

"Um, no idea where he's at, really. I hadn't seen him since I got summoned."

Marteau scratched his chin. "That's a real shame…" He turned to Siesta. "Bring me a bottle of Albion's finest! We must celebrate!"

She smiled. "Yes, sir!" She quickly ran off to retrieve the requested vintage of wine from the rack. Ranma gulped a bit, seeing the wine bottle produced.

"Um, I don't normally drink…"

"Well, this is a special occasion! Every man should enjoy some fine wine, don't you think so?"

"Well, yeah, I suppose, but—"

Marteau, having already uncorked the bottle, thrust a glass into Ranma's open hand. "Drink, drink! Let us savor the commoner's finest hour, 'Our Fist!'"

"Uh, well," Ranma sniffed the contents before taking a sip. He blinked in surprise at just how fruity and sweet-tasting the crimson liquid was. "Wow, this is pretty good."

The jolly man laughed. "You know, 'Our Fist,' I'm starting to like you."

"Well, you're not too bad yourself, Marteau."

Siesta just looked on as the two partook of wine, unable to stop admiring Ranma as his face suffused red. Honestly, she never thought someone with no magic could defeat a mage. That Ranma had done so, and with but his fists, made her heart go pitter-patter. It was like watching a legend blossom before her eyes.

A legacy she might not have a problem with being a part of, she though, a small blush touching her cheeks.

* * *

"Hey, did you see something at the window?" one of the dishwashers pointed up at the window.

"What?" a passing cook asked, joining the first in his observation.

A flick of red followed by a weird 'kuyu-kuyu' sound.

After a few moments of inspection, the cook shrugged. "Probably just the wind."

* * *

Louise sulked.

Upstairs in her room, she sulked. It was better than what she was feeling beforehand.

Imagine the nerve of Ranma even _thinking_ that she could be the next Brimir, her! The Zero of Tristain's Academy of Magic! The shame of her family, who actively considered training her for marital duties instead of magical endeavors. Her, the next Brimir!

She hated the feelings that welled up in her at the prospect. On the one hand, there was an inexplicable sense of discovery, excitement that she might not be a failure after all, just someone that had been studying the wrong element. If true, it would mean that she was someone special and powerful, someone that mattered to the world – after all, she'd be the only Void mage in all of Halkeginia!

On the other hand, there was a crushing fear on her heart. Suppose she did somehow discover the lost Void magic. What then? What if, after all that hard work of discovering something lost for centuries, she couldn't perform a lick of its magic. What then?

What then?

The thought alone made her feel sick to her stomach. Until it was mentioned, she never gave thought to why she was a failure, nor how she could more or less deal with it. Now, that there was a possibility that she could still be a proper mage, she didn't want to know if it was true. Because if she failed at connecting with the last element, it would practically make her no better than a commoner. Even though she hailed from some of the noblest blood imagined, she herself would be a dead weight to her family, someone truly incapable of becoming anyone worthy.

That was the thought that scared her most.

She didn't realize she had sulked through the rest of her classes until she noted the sun going down.

* * *

Ranma was wandering behind the castle, feeling very light and jovial for the first time since he had gotten here. Somewhere in the back of his head, he knew it was the wine talking – damn that wine for being so delicious! – but at the moment, he didn't have a care in the world.

So what if he was stranded on some alien planet where no one ever heard of martial arts and people made an assortment of magical girl golems? This wasn't a problem; this was _opportunity_!

…and Ranma decided that he was probably too drunk if he was thinking like that. It sounded almost like something his Pop would say. Usually as justification as to why he was lazing about having a "preplanning session."

"D-damn you!"

Ranma shook himself free of his thoughts to be in the present. Another Academy student stood, pointing a wand at him.

"Oi, wha's yo' probbem, li'l boi?" Alcohol did not have a future in making him an eloquent speaker, that was certain.

"T-there's no way a commoner could have defeated a nobleman! No way!"

Ranma's lead foot slunk out unsteadily, his whole form bobbling. "Wouldja lik'ta tryit?"

The song began in his ears.

"Fireball."

The next thing Ranma realized, the Academy student had been blasted off the grounds, leaving behind a scorched patch of earth.

The song died as Ranma settled back down in confusion, scouting out the source of the attack.

Into view came Kirche, her fire lizard familiar shuffling along after her.

"Looks like I came in the nick of time," she spoke proudly.

Ranma thumbed his nose. "I'd've beaten 'im, no worries."

"Ah, but there _was_ a worry."

"O~h…?"

"The boy, Marcel, his Runic name is 'River,' and I would hate for your rather 'interesting' ability to come to light."

Ranma paled, feeling the alcohol fleeing his system rapidly. "H-how do you—"

Kirche took his arm. Ranma couldn't ignore how it pressed between her ample assets, especially with them being practically the same height. It made something in him twitch.

"Let's talk somewhere else. Somewhere more… private."

Ranma nodded uneasily, letting her lead him away.

* * *

He was taken behind a small gray tool shed, a place that smelled of soil and a faint tracing of fertilizer.

Ranma was sobering himself up as much as possible – damn that delicious wine! – but he was still a bit drunk. After all, if Kirche knew that he changed into a copy of Louise, it could be bad. Didn't Louise say something about hating Kirche? Chances were, the feeling would be mutual. He needed to think of a good lie to use, somehow weasel his way out of this; otherwise, it would cause problems for him and Louise later.

"There is one thing I must know," Kirche began. "If you would forgive me for being so forward."

"Well, you see, there's a really—"

The tall redhead's lips pressing hotly against his sent every thought flying out of his ears.

Ranma lost track of how long they were in that state, but he was quite aware of how receptive his tongue was to hers. As well as the softness of her body in contrast to his hardness.

When she had finally broken off the kiss, Ranma came to one conclusion.

Kirche could kiss a days-old dead man back to life.

"Wow…" he mumbled, heady on both wine and a wellspring of passion.

"You certainly kiss like a man," she smiled seductively.

"'Cause I am," he replied defensively, though it lacked much of the normal heat defending his masculinity would have brought to the table.

She snipped another kiss off his lips, which stole away even more of his annoyance, as weakened as it was already. "I wouldn't dream of saying anything against that. Though I must wonder what kind of spell did Louise the Zero screw up to make you look like her… and through such an odd method."

Ranma shook his head, trying to find his legs again. Damn that…. something! "It's nothing Louise did… I think. I got cursed a few weeks ago."

Kirche straightened up a bit, her green eyes sufficiently widened. "Cursed?"

Ranma flopped a hand about. "Down at Jusenkyo." He grumbled under his breath. "No thanks to Pop."

Puzzlement creased Kirche's face. "What's a… Jusenkyo?"

He sighed and went into the tale of the accident at the cursed springs and the change applied to it since he arrived in Tristain.

"Another world, you say?"

"Yeah."

"I find that hard to believe."

Ranma shrugged. "I find two moons hard to believe."

"Hmm… I tell you what. If you can show me proof of you coming from another world, I will believe you."

"We'd have to go check my book bag," he replied. He didn't actually look into it, since he wasn't even planning to stay in Nerima, let alone go to school there.

She smiled seductively as her fingers splayed over his heart. "I suppose so."

Ranma almost blanked. "Y-yeah, let's go," he replied, quickly walking away from the tool shed a bit stiffly. Kirche latching onto his arm really didn't help matters any.

* * *

Louise, seated on her bed, jumped as her room door opened, revealing Ranma and Kirche.

"K-K-K-Zerbst!" Her face burned. "Wh-what are you doing in my room!"

The redhead casually ignored Louise. "So, this book bag of yours…"

"Over here," Ranma spoke, quickly picking up the satchel from a corner of Louise's room. He began rummaging through it.

"Ranma! What's the meaning of this! Bringing th-that woman in here!"

He didn't look up. "She wanted some proof that I come from another world."

"Hmm, what's the matter, Louise?" Kirche spoke, her boots drawing her closer. "You're not in here doing something…" She stopped a few feet away, lowering her face to the same level as Louise's. "Unsightly, are you?" She said with a smirk.

She eeped, recoiling from the woman, making Kirche blink. "D-d-don't be r-ridiculous! I… just had a lot on my mind, is all." She steadfastly refused to look the taller woman in the face, her fair skin flushed.

"You know, you're acting very suspiciously." She made herself a seat on Louise's bed. "Come on, tell me, who were you thinking of?"

"N-n-n-no one! Get out!"

"I bet it was Ranma, wasn't it?"

"What about me?" he asked, looking up.

"It wasn't him!"

He shrugged and went back into his bag.

"Then who? A secret lover perhaps?"

"Go away…" Louise tried snarling, but it came out more like a mew.

Kirche clapped her hands in surprise. "Ah! Louise the Zero has a secret lover! Why I bet you were dreaming about his lips upon yours when we—"

"AHHHHHHHHHH!"

Both Ranma and Kirche bolted upright in shock as Louise not only screamed but fled the room.

"…what was _that_ about?" Ranma queried.

"…maybe she's shy after all?" Kirche offered as her best explanation.

"Okay, I guess… anyway, have you ever seen a calculator?"

"What's a 'calculator'?"

* * *

Louise panted heavily, finding herself on the ground floor of the Academy. She had probably embarrassed herself several times over, running and screaming like an idiot. She was mildly surprised no one asked her what was the matter.

However, it was unavoidable. She didn't know why, but for the last twenty minutes, she had the strangest desire to make out with… with…

She wanted to be sick, but she couldn't.

Damn that Zerbst! Why was she thinking about _HER_ in such weird ways! Damn her! It had to be all her fault somehow!

=SPLOOSH=

She sputtered and gasped, cold soapy water drenching her, sending a shock to her system. She stared at the offending person in disbelief.

"S-sorry, Miss! I know I'm clumsy, but-"

Louise trembled. The apologizing young man paused, his dropped bucket quickly being forgotten.

"Er... you wouldn't happen to be... the other one?"

Louise let loose an inarticulate scream of rage, causing the man to run for his life.

* * *

"And you're certain this doesn't use any magic?"

"Yep. It's all science and technology and stuff."

Kirche folded one leg under her as she sat on Louise's bed, pressing numbers into the calculator's keypad. Her face lit up as the numbers she pressed appeared in the gray window. "Amazing!"

Ranma grinned, watching her. She was like a kid on Christmas, which made her look very cute.

"And if I add this number to this number, it'll give me the right answer?"

"Every time."

Kirche poked at a few buttons, then her eyes popped wide. "That's amazing! And I didn't even have to go through the trouble of writing it down!"

Ranma chuckled. "So, you believe me?"

"Mmm…."

Ranma looked confused. Did she really have to think about that?

"Okay! So you're from another world!" She got up from Louise's bed, calculator still in hand as she made her way to the room door. "How about we go back to my room and… talk some more?" She turned around and leaned back against the door, her smile and eyes suggestive. "You're the first otherworlder I've met…"

Ranma had to swallow at that.

"I'd like to…"

She looked slightly puzzled. "But?"

"But… I really need to go find Louise. I want to learn more about this magic and stuff."

Now she looked perplexed. "What would you do with that information?"

"See if she could have that Void affinity, what else?"

Kirche looked stunned. "Louise the Zero with Void affinity?"

"Well, I figure if she sucks at every other element, then maybe she's just needing a go at the last one."

Kirche continued looking like she was dazed and confused. Ranma made a face.

"Look, I don't really get how you guys could just 'lose' a whole element, but—"

"Okay. Let's go find her."

Ranma closed his mouth. "Huh?"

Kirche reached behind her and twisted the door knob. "I said let's go find Louise."

She slipped out while Ranma made a face. He thought for certain Kirche was going to make some sort of disparaging comment about that. Shrugging, he followed her out as well.

* * *

Louise was sitting on the grass in Vestri Court, looking at the darkening sky overhead.

What the hell happened earlier? She was sitting alone thinking of nothing but her own fears and doubts and next… She didn't even want to name it. It was just so random and out of the blue, she was halfway convinced someone cast a spell on her just to provoke that type of reaction.

She sighed and flopped back into the trimmed grass.

She didn't know what to think anymore. First she gets told by a commoner – her familiar, no less – that she could be a legendary mage, then she starts thinking… weird things with someone she couldn't stand.

"So this is where legendary mages go after freaking out."

She blinked to find Kirche standing above her. Louise could see the panties underneath the Germanian's skirt. She blushed and looked away.

"What's with the legendary stuff?"

Kirche knelt down. "Ranma darling told me all about you."

The strawberry blonde shot to her feet, face locked in horror. "Wh-wh-what!"

"I think it's rather interesting he turns into a version of you with the application of cold water."

Louise paled even moreso.

"But, being a Void user…"

"Th-that's a lie!"

"Maybe. But I must admit it might have some bit of truth to it."

"Huh?"

"When you stop and think about it, every spell you attempt blows up. Every one of them."

She reddened. "What's your point?" she ground out.

"Well, maybe Ranma's right about you having a different affinity. I most certainly have never seen anyone else fail even the most basic of spells so disastrously."

Louise grumbled. "Why don't you just rub it in, Zerbst? I don't have a Void affinity."

"I think you do."

Louise's eyes roved down to her left side, where Ranma was squatting.

He grinned. "And I might know a way to bring it out of you."

* * *

Miss Vallière, a Void user? Mr. Colbert sweated as he listened on from his hiding place on the other side of the Court's wall.

Ever since Ranma's performance earlier that afternoon, the Headmaster told him to keep an eye on the two. Having been almost run over by a panicking Louise ten minutes beforehand, he decided to follow after her to see what the matter was.

He found her at Vestri Court, the same place where the duel between Guiche and her familiar took place. After observing her for a few minutes – she just sat there looking at the sky – he started to approach her to find out what was wrong. However Miss Zerbst had came up and he quickly ended up on the other side of the wall. Why he had done that, he wasn't entirely certain. It just felt like something extraordinary would be occurring.

And occur it did.

A Void mage? Miss Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière? Had it not been for his discovery of the Gandalfr runes, he would have laughed it off as preposterous. However, what if it was true? After all, she _did_ summon a human as a familiar. A human who was marked with the Gandalfr Runes. It couldn't be just mere coincidence, could it?

"Let's go eat before we try this out."

"Sure."

"But what if there's nothing to—"

"Oh, stop worrying Louise. You can't do any more damage if you really are a failure."

"Kirche!"

"Nah. I'm pretty certain she's got it. And I think this method of training will get her to finally start using it."

Mr. Colbert's brows shot up. The _familiar_ was going to teach a _mage_ Void magic? Incredible! He had to inform Old Man Osmond about this new development!

* * *

Old Man Osmond's eyes widened, but not in excitement, as Mr. Colbert gleefully told him what he had heard.

"A Void Mage? Her?"

"I know! But it's making sense as to why she had summoned a human that was blessed with the Gandalfr Runes! There isn't any other explanation for the bizarre incidents involving Miss Vallière and magic."

"Hrm…" The Headmaster stroked his beard pensively. "Even though it may explain a lot, there aren't any firm conclusions to the matter. Plus we have yet to deduce what the inconclusive scan of the commoner meant."

Mr. Colbert bit his lower lip a little. "That may be true, but I think this presents us a wonderful opportunity, don't you agree, sir?"

A thin trickle of sweat rolled down the side of Osmond's face. "That depends on whether or not Miss Vallière ends up flattening the school in her quest to master a magic that hadn't been seen in over half a millennium."

Mr. Colbert drooped a little. "W-well, that might be true, too…"

Osmond nodded. "Still, it would be wise to keep an eye on her and the commoner for the time being. And to not let any of this reach the ears of those in the palace."

"Hmm? Why not?"

"Let them have access to a new toy and start another silly, needless war? I hardly think that would be wise. The summoner and her familiar are to remain in our care."

"I see."

"In the meanwhile, I'm rather curious as to what her familiar plans to teach the young Miss Vallière."

Mr. Colbert grinned. "I'm already on the case, sir!"

As the balding instructor left his office, Osmond couldn't help but feel apprehension. What if, by some odd chance, the Vallière daughter _did_ turn out to be the rare mage with a Void affinity? With her summoned familiar bearing the runes of the Gandalfr, did it mean that she was destined to bring about a great change like Founder Brimir, or was this a sign of an impending doom?

A small flick of his staff and the Far-Seeing Mirror was activated, showing him the strawberry blonde girl eating dinner alongside one of her classmates, the Germanian daughter of the Zerbst family.

Already, this did not bode well.

* * *

"Why are you following me?" Louise finally asked Kirche, her familiar in tow, as they made their way back to Vestri Court. She didn't quite look at the taller woman, but at least she didn't have any of those weird… desires like earlier.

"Call me curious, if you must," she replied with a smile.

Louise groaned in disgust. "Don't you have some boys to go flirt around with?"

"Why? Don't you think Ranma's so much more interesting? Especially after the show he put on this afternoon." She took a deep breath, her head held high. "I think I'm in love."

"You're always in love!" Louise growled.

"Oh, look, it's Ranma!" Kirche pointed out in recognition. He was already at the meeting place, leaning against the Court's wall as he stared up at the twin moons overhead. "Ranma! Ranma-darling!"

He broke his gaze to see who was addressing him. "Oh, hey, Kirche, Louise." A quick push-off from the wall, and he was on his way over to them.

"What are we going to do?" Louise asked as Ranma neared them.

"Well, we're gonna find out what's Void for you guys," he replied.

"How do you even know what Void is?" Louise spoke, a bit annoyed.

Kirche followed up Louise's inquiry. "That's an interesting question. How would you know anything about magic?"

"I don't know much about magic, but there's something called the Book of Five Rings that I do remember."

Kirche looked puzzled as Louise spoke up. "Book of Five Rings?"

He nodded. "It was a book written by a really famous swordsman back in my world. He had five books in his school of thought: the Book of Earth, Book of Fire, Book of Water, Book of Wind and Book of Emptiness."

"So, what does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, the Book of Emptiness was also called the Book of Void."

The two girls gasped. "Wait a minute," Kirche opened up. "Are you saying someone in your world knew about the Five Elements here?"

Ranma shrugged. "I don't think so. I mean, he was talking about his school of combat and swordsmanship, not magic."

The girls looked disappointed.

"However, the Book of Void's kind of interesting."

"This is a waste of time," Louise grumbled.

Ranma grimaced. "Just listen…"

"Why? All you're doing is talking about some books that don't mean anything to us."

"What if it does?"

"What?"

"The Book of Emptiness, the Void, was about being aware and comprehending things you can't see. The first four books were just his views solidified, while the Void encompasses everything else."

Louise's brows knitted together. "Okay… but what does this—"

"How long has this Void element been lost for?" Ranma interrupted.

"Six hundred years."

Ranma whistled. "That's a long time."

Kirche nodded. "And to date, no one really knows what it is. It helped to create the kingdoms as they are now. But what kind of magic it was, no one can say."

"Huh. Since it's called void, it sounds like it does stuff you couldn't magic up with other elements."

"It wouldn't be lost if anyone could do it!" Louise cried out.

"I see…" Ranma turned his head to Kirche. "Can you make a spell go 'boom' like Louise's?"

She blinked in surprise as Louise stared at the martial artist in confusion. "Wh-what?"

"Yeah, can you make a spell go 'boom' like she does?"

Kirche looked stumped. "I've never _tried_, to be honest. I usually aim for my spells to _succeed_."

"Well, give it a shot."

This was by far the weirdest request Kirche ever had someone to ask of her. "I wouldn't even know where to begin!"

Ranma rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I guess you're right…" He turned to Louise. "Blow me up."

Louise staggered back. "Wh-wh-wha~t!"

"I said blow me up."

"D-darling," Kirche pleaded. "Be reasonable!"

"No, I'm serious. You can watch how Louise casts her spell and you do exactly like she does to try and get the same result."

"But to use yourself as the target~!" Kirche balled both hands to her mouth. "I haven't even begun to express the depths of my love to you!"

Ranma colored. "Wh-what?"

Louise's eyes became as large as the dinner plates they ate on as Kirche continued. "I never got to fully express it this afternoon, but I've come to love you from the bottom of my heart! When we kissed, it felt like I would melt!"

The pink-haired girl trembled. "Y-y-y-y-ou _**k-k-k-kissed**_!"

She clung to Ranma's chest. "It was as if the heavens above purposely handpicked you for me, my love. Please, please don't throw your life away like this! Reconsider!"

Ranma's brain tripped offline and had to reboot. "K-Kirche… I…"

"Y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-you kissed that woman!"

Ranma blinked as he found himself staring at a Louise whose tiny body shook with overflowing rage.

"I've been **damned** with those bizarre thoughts running around in my head all afternoon because of _**you**_?"

Ranma's face went blank. "Hah?"

Kirche, for her part, discreetly released her grip on Ranma's shirt and started edging away.

"DIE!"

**=BOO~M=**

"Whaugh!"

"Kyaaa!"

"Kuyu!

"Miss ValliAAGH!"

* * *

Osmond palmed his face. "Louise…" he groaned.

Maybe he should tell the palace about her. It would most definitely teach the nobility there a lesson or two, that was for certain. In the meanwhile, he had to make medical arrangements for Mr. Colbert. Having a magically reinforced wall fall upon you was bound to be non-conducive to good health.

* * *

"Did you _feel_ that explosion last night!"

"Are you kidding me! I felt that all the way on the _other_ side of the Academy!"

"I thought were going to die!"

"What in the world caused that!"

"I hear it was Louise the Zero…"

"Wh-wh-what! Is she trying to kill us all!"

* * *

"Why are we here again?" Louise grumbled.

Ranma made a face. "If I knew the answer to that, I wouldn't be here." Various parts of his body were bandaged up, including his head.

"Look on the bright side, Louise," Kirche replied, a bit less cheery than normal.

"And what bright side is that?"

"I'll _never_ be able to reproduce such an explosion like that in my life."

Louise growled.

"Less talking, more brick-laying," Mr. Colbert, completely wrapped from head to toe in thick bandages, spoke from the wheelchair he was being pushed around in by a quiet short-haired girl with her nose buried in a book. "You three still need to rebuild the entire wall in this Court. Without magic."

Kirche moaned dejectedly. Louise sighed. Ranma slathered more mortar onto a brick and planted it right into alignment with its brethren.

Next time, they were going to go _outside_ of the school and practice blowing stuff up.


	5. A Void in the Life of Ranma Saotome

**Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi. Familiar of Zero (Zero no Tsukaima) is owned by Noboru Yamaguchi. All rights reserved.**

**Zero Interface**  
Chapter 5  
A Void in the Day of Ranma Saotome (Seduction)

Ranma awoke early again, as per his usual routine since arriving in Tristain. A quick glance at Louise revealed the girl was still asleep, snoring lightly. Her hands were bound in bandages.

She'd never make it as a construction worker, Ranma thought wryly. Demolitionist, on the other hand, she'd probably be filthy rich. Or just plain filthy. Depended if she ever learned how to use Void magic.

Rising from his makeshift bed roll – hay bundled up in sewn-together quilts he got from Siesta and that one guy whose name he could never remember to get – Ranma padded to the dorm window and peeled back the curtain. The velvet sky was lightening bit by bit, the twin moons of Halkeginia barely seen from his standpoint.

Hard to believe he'd been in this crazy land for over a week now.

After the explosion Louise had "demonstrated" for Kirche to try and replicate, the three of them had to rebuild the wall in Vestri Court back to its original condition. Seeing that there was, indeed, quite a lot of wall to be rebuilding, and that the girls were forbidden to use magic in their efforts, it took quite some time.

Four days worth. From sun-up to sundown, with meals brought out to them.

Louise complained the most. Seeing just how anorexic her frame was, it was hardly surprising that she wasn't able to work anywhere near as hard as he and Kirche – seriously, Ranma feared her arms would snap just from picking up bricks for him to lay. That she was woefully unused to such "commoner labor," as she put it, showed plainly as she had to go see a Water mage after the second day; her hands had swelled up to the point she could barely hold a wand, let alone bricks.

Kirche…. well, she certainly had lots of support from the male half of the Academy, with several attempting to distract Mr. Colbert, while others used magic to get the wall put back up faster. The balding teacher ended up chasing them off with magic of his own, which was a funny sight in and of itself, a mummified instructor being wheeled after students while waving his staff like a sword. He then had the Court sealed off from anyone other than the punished, Colbert himself and the blue-haired girl with glasses that wheeled the injured Colbert around.

Kirche had mentioned her name was Tabitha.

Outside of that, though, she seemed to rather enjoy herself, granted, not with quite the same zeal she had normally displayed around the school, but her general fountain of cheer made Louise's complaining more bearable. Especially on the third day, when Ranma had come up with some pre-training exercises to help her tap into her "magic" – code word for Void, as Louise didn't want others to know what they were going on about (and most likely laugh at them or something) and thus shared them with her.

Who knew she'd have such issues with being chased by a firebreathing Flame while carrying a 20-pound sack? And that was after downgrading it from a pack wolves chasing her while carrying one of the couches in the library.

Gee, she acted like he was trying to kill her or something… how insulting!

Anyway, the wall was finally rebuilt (with a large chunk of it being mysteriously restored sometime after the third day, much to Colbert's surprise). They were excused, and thus Ranma learned an important lesson.

Never call Louise flat-chested while she has a pile of bricks at hand. Hand swelling or no hand swelling, you will regret it all the same.

Outside of that, things had progressed normally, he supposed, for a school built on magic. However, that generally meant that inevitably, things were becoming boring. He got up, did his exercises and katas, find hot water, attend class with Louise, ate in the kitchen with Siesta and Marteau (after blabbing so much to Kirche the first time after he drank with the head chef, Ranma sharply reduced his wine consumption to one per meal and guzzled water the rest of the time), find hot water, have Kirche entice him at some point of the day with Louise breaking up their gathering, roamed around the Academy to familiarize himself with the building and its rooms, find hot water, then returned to Louise's room, where he planned and cajole Louise into doing the "safe" method he devised for Louise to awaken the Void in her – meditation.

When he first explained it to her, she couldn't see the point of doing something that reminded her of her mother's exercises; after all, if she didn't discover Void at that time, why would him having her do it now make any difference?

Ranma's reasoning – Louise's mother was probably too incompetent to teach her right.

Ever since then, Louise would shudder in catatonic terror and shake her head vigorously whenever he brought up meditation. Sometimes, she would even mutter "I will never break the rules, mother" like a mantra. It was all he could do to not wonder just what kind of nutjob was Louise's mother.

Speaking of nutjobs, Ranma had discovered something even stranger about the curse. Whereas he once looked like Louise, sometime after the second day of their punishment, he found out that that no longer applied.

He had taken to looking like Kirche.

He only discovered this malady after beating up a few of her amorous admirers that sought to hang around him for no reason that he was aware of at the time. Uncertain as to how his curse just changed again, he tried to hide this from her and Louise – which meant that they discovered the altered curse form within an hour.

Louise, quite naturally raised hell about it and condemned Kirche for ruining "her familiar." The Germanian, however, didn't respond at first before leaving Louise's room with nary another word. Ranma blinked, uncertain what to do after that, while Louise considered it a good thing she freaked out and ran, given her proclivity for falling in love with everyone that captured her fancy (well, that, and a general disparaging of the Zerbst lineage).

Turned out, Kirche was trying on his braided hairstyle instead. After seeing how it looked on her, she couldn't help but see for herself if she liked it.

After that bit, Louise became even more unreasonable about him hanging with Kirche, going so far as to interrupt them whenever possible. Why should it matter, anyway? Just because her family had a falling out with Kirche's didn't mean _he_ had to suffer, too. He personally opted for the "fuggedaboutit" method; it made life a lot easier.

In the end, Louise's behavior birthed a private conversation Kirche had with him the night before.

* * *

"Day of Void?" Ranma echoed in curiosity. "What's that?"

"It's the one day we don't have any classes," Kirche explained, her hairstyle having been returned to its unbound freeflowing length. "I thought we could spend some time out in Tristain's capital, Tristainia." She pushed back a lock of hair. "Preferably without Louise."

He shrugged. "Sure, why not?" It wasn't like he had any plans of his own. Maybe he'd come upon something interesting if he went with her.

She beamed. "Good!" A moment later, she laid her lips close to his ear. "Don't let Louise know," she whispered in a husky voice that nearly seared his ear off.

Come upon something interesting with her… Yeah… Definitely probably would.

* * *

Ranma stretched and yawned. He didn't think Kirche would be up at this hour, though she wanted to get an early start. With that belief, he decided to go ahead and work out a bit. Something light to get his body warmed up and loose.

As Ranma traveled towards the door, he failed to see one of Louise's eyes crack open to watch him leave out.

* * *

What was he up to, Louise pondered. Having a pipeline into some of Ranma's thoughts or feelings – they _had_ to belong to him, as there was no way she could _possibly_ ever think of that Zerbst in such… weird ways – she knew he was up to something. It felt like there was a massive pressure in her head, like holding onto something very juicy.

It felt suspicious. And given how that woman had been hanging all over him, trying to seduce him with her br-br- her slutty body, not to mention his callous disregard for the simmering two hundred year old animosity between the Vallière and the Zerbst, Louise couldn't trust Ranma to actually look out for her interests. Not on this one.

She had to somehow set that idiot straight. No way could she just let him do as he pleased, especially not with that flippant woman. She had to break things up before too many things went way too far.

Louise yawned as she took to roll out of bed – she practically willed herself to wake up at such an ungodly hour; as a result, her body felt clumsy and heavy, like lead was poured into her. Stumbling around, she sought to get dressed – why couldn't she have been blessed with a familiar that at least _pretended_ to know his place?

* * *

One forty-six…

One forty-seven…

There was a yawn close by, breaking Ranma's mental count and causing him to look up. He blinked. "Didn't think you'd be up this early."

Kirche had her hand over her mouth. "I _did_ wish to keep this a secret from Louise. The earlier we make off, the better." She studied him for am moment. "What are you doing anyway?"

Ranma, shirtless, due to lack of any training clothes, was in a push-up position. However, his feet only hovered above the grass. "This? Just a few warm-up exercises. Hold on a sec." He pushed up with his arms, lifting his legs up higher, higher, higher until he was now perpendicular with the ground. Then he slowly lowered himself back into the floating push-up position.

"Two more," he spoke. The action was repeated.

"One more." Push. Lift. Straighten. Return.

"Done." One hundred and fifty floating handstand push ups, complete. He finally let his feet touch the ground, and he stood up. He'd get the other half later. "So, you want to go now?"

Kirche, whose attention had been riveted upon his rippling muscles as he worked out, blinked. "Hmm? Oh, yes! Yes, let us leave before that annoying Vallière wakes up."

"Where are we going?" he asked, wiping the light sweat off his body with one of Louise's towels. Yes, it was girly, but it was the least girly one he could dig out of her linen closet.

"To the stables. Town is a few hours away by horse."

"Horse?" he echoed.

Kirche looked over her shoulder. "Do you not know how to ride one?"

A vague memory come to mind. A young Ranma holding onto the mane of a bucking wild stallion, laughing as Pop chased after him in a panic. There was popcorn and cotton candy everywhere, he sort of remembered.

He slipped his shirt back on. "…well, it's been a long time."

She looked a little surprised before a smile crept into place.

"Let me refresh your memory, then."

* * *

It was a dutiful mare he rode, saddled and bridled by the stable boy before they depart. Yet, Ranma couldn't help but feel nervous.

Mostly because Kirche had chosen to situate herself at his back in her bid to "remind" him about riding horses. Of course, this resulted in her body hugging to his, her breasts generously snuggling his back. One arm looped around his waist as she whispered into his ear, easing him into riding the horse as a steady pace.

He couldn't help but note the arm not clasping his body, held onto the saddle's horn. It might have been his imagination, but it sometimes looked like she was caressing it fondly, reverently. And given how it was placed to a certain part of his own body…

It was an epic trial to clear the mind and focus on his horse-riding skill.

* * *

Louise was certain she was going to die; all the blood in her body had taken residence in her face and refused to leave.

Th-th-that idiot! Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-what the hell was th-that damned w-w-woman doing with him! S-surely not even she would…

The image that came to mind almost sent her over the edge. Why, oh, why did she decide it was a good idea to follow on _horseback_? She could have just saved herself the trouble and _walked_!

Oh, she was going to kill that idiot…

* * *

White cobblestone rolled under Ranma's feet as he looked around the already bustling city. Already, it felt a bit claustrophobic. "Where is this place?" he asked, eyes roving.

"Mmm… I think it's Bourdonné Street," Kirche answered absently, one arm lightly clasped around Ranma's. "This should be the road that leads to Tristain's palace."

"Huh." He filed that info away for future use. "So, where are we going?"

"To find something good around this place."

He shrugged. He was here to get out of having to deal with Louise for a bit. It seemed rather pointless to try and make the pink-haired girl learn something when she didn't want to do the exercises.

Someone bumped into Ranma, jostling Kirche in the process.

"How—"

Before Kirche could let it be known her displeasure could finish her sentence, Ranma had already grabbed hold of the unshaven man's arm. His eyes were wide on Kirche's mantle.

"Geh! I-I didn't know you were a noble! A thousand apologies!"

She flicked her hair back over her shoulder. "A commoner like yourself should be more mindful of your environment. You may go."

The man nodded profusely. "Thank for your kindness." He turned to go, only to find that Ranma's hand hadn't released. "Wh-wh-what?"

He stuck out his hand. "You know what."

The redhead's eyes widened slightly. "Darling, I hardly think shaking him down is the answer."

"Don't care about that. I just want my wallet back."

The unshaven man's eyes popped out of his head.

"Better hurry up; you're starting to draw a crowd."

The unshaven man quickly produced a brown billfold, which Ranma neatly tucked back into his pocket. "Thanks, old man," he said with a smile.

Then he kicked the pickpocketing thief over a building. There was a loud crashing sound from where he landed.

"Don't take what's mine," he muttered. A glance around him had other people scattering quickly.

Beside him, Kirche cooed. "That was so cool…! How did you know?"

He ran his fingers through his black hair. "Eh, learned a couple things from Pop. So, where are we going again?"

* * *

Louise grumbled as she once again mounted her horse. It was the third time she had to get off her ride before she… did something that would have gotten her off the horse anyway.

At least she wasn't on the receiving end of any more feelings at the moment. Just one that seemed like annoyance. Or maybe that was herself; she wasn't even a third of the way there, due solely to whatever Ranma's stupid thoughts were doing to her!

It was obnoxious, having his feelings in her head. And they absolutely _had_ to be Ranma's feelings. Otherwise, she'd have to go visit a water mage and hope to God they could do something to cure her of her creeping insanity.

Vallière and Zerbst were enemies, not… th-that. And even more pointedly, K-K-Zerbst was… well, she was still a girl!

That's not right! That's not right at all!

* * *

"You do seem to have the worst of luck when it comes to cold water, darling," Kirche murmured, a little dismayed.

Ranma-Kirche wiped his sodden red hair back, annoyed. "Yeah, I've noticed…"

While seeking out a place to eat, some idiot had dumped some used bath water out their window. Right on top of him.

Kirche produced a towel from a small bag she had brought with her. He took it to dry his hair out as they were walking down one of the smaller side streets.

"Say, I was wondering something…"

"What?" he spoke as he scrubbed his head.

"You wouldn't happen to purposely change into me and take advantage of my body, would you?"

He tripped over her question and fell flat on his cursed form's face. Immediately, he shot up, mortified. "Where would you get that kind of idea from!"

He went from outraged to confused seeing Kirche chuckling at him. "Just asking," she said with a smile.

Ranma-Kirche scowled. "Well, gee, have fun at my expense why don'tcha? I'd be glad to not have to lose my manhood every time it rains."

The Germanian smiled. "It's fine as it is…" she spoke, stroking her fingernails lightly across the back of her reflection's neck.

He shivered in response. Then blinked. "Whoa, hey, is that cool? Doing that kind of stuff when I'm…"

Her face took on a dreamy quality. "Hmmm… It's fine, so long as it's just me."

He blushed at the image she was creating before him.

Cute, most definitely.

* * *

"Dammit!" Louise roared. Now she was starting to feel… weird things for her hated nemesis. She threw her head back to face the sky.

"_CUT IT OUT, IDIOT!_"

Again, she had to dismount her horse. At this rate, she'd be lucky to get to Tristainia by mid-afternoon!

* * *

Ranma-Kirche cocked his head to one side. His brows furrowed.

"What is it, darling?" Kirche asked.

"Um, I dunno… feels like…"

She prompted him with her eyes once words weren't forthcoming. "…what?"

"I dunno… but it's like I gotta go somewhere." His legs were already moving him into the direction of one alleyway.

Kirche stepped into the mouth of the alley. "Darling! Where are you going?"

"I don't know, just wherever that vibe is taking me…" He was quickly disappearing from sight.

Kirche quirked her lips, then shook her head slightly. She gave chase after the cursed boy. "Wait up, then!"

* * *

He didn't know what it was that he was following after. Just that there was something… there. Like a beacon calling out to him.

Well, not really. It was more like something within him was… seeking something. Like a little ghost whispering in his ear.

He wondered if it had something to do with the curse going all weird on him.

Within minutes, he found himself standing in front of a store. A sign in the shape of a very basic broadsword hung overhead.

Kirche's heels clacked over the cobblestone. "Leblanc's Weapon Shop," she read from the sign. "An arms dealer?" she said, puzzled. "Why would you end up here?"

"I really don't know…" He pushed open the door and went in, Kirche following after him.

Inside the shop, it was highly disorganized, various weapons lying together in clumps on shelves and on the walls. A suit of armor stood as centerpiece of the room, its body dusty and a bit tarnished. Behind the counter, an old man in his fifties eyed Kirche and Ranma-Kirche with growing suspicion.

Than is, until he caught sight of the Pentagram etched into Kirche's gold button; his entire attitude changed drastically from wary shopkeeper to grateful serf.

"My lady! My noble lady! All items here are real and reasonably priced! There is nothing criminal about my shop, my lady!"

Kirche absently brushed his declarations off. "Seems like we're looking for something."

The old man looked from Kirche to Ranma-Kirche, who was milling about without focus.

"Wh-what kind of weapon, if I may ask…?"

"Here," Ranma-Kirche spoke up, drawing both the shopkeeper and Kirche's attention. "Something right here in this pile."

"You've got good instincts, there," someone spoke from beneath the pile of mismatched weapons.

Ranma-Kirche jumped back. "You got someone stuffed down here, old man?"

The shopkeeper palmed his face. "Not a someone, unfortunately. A some_thing_."

"I am not a thing," the voice spoke, crossed. "I am the greatest sword you'll ever find in this sorry dump of a weapon shop."

"Derf!" the shopkeeper roared. "Stop belittling my humble business!"

Ranma-Kirche had picked up one sword – a bit on the old side, rusting with nicks and dings all over the body, the single-edge chewed up from constant military application.

"A sentient sword?" the Germanian spoke aloud, very surprised that something like that would be here.

"Aye. A magical, obnoxious, sentient blade that only badmouths every customer that comes to the shop."

"Derf, huh?" Ranma-Kirche said, puzzled as to how could a sword talk. "That's your name?"

"Wrong! I am Lord Derflinger, lady! Remember that!"

The cursed boy looked at the weapon flatly. "You're kidding."

"Absolutely not." If a sword could sniff in disdain, it would have been exactly the reaction it gave the martial artist.

"Well, anyway, Derf, I'm Ranma Saotome. Let's see how you are." He snapped it out of the scabbard and gave it a few light swings.

The song began again within his soul.

"Darling," Kirche spoke softly, drawing close by. "Your left hand…"

"Hmm?" He took a glance at his left hand. The runes emblazoned into his flesh glowed like gold. "That's kind of weird."

"You're a user and yet, you do not understand your real power…" the sword Derflinger commented. "Hmm… there's also something… amiss with you."

Ranma's brows scrunched up. "What do you mean?"

"Ancient magic upon you. It feels so very ancient…"

"Do you know something about the curse?" Ranma asked, his cursed green eyes wide with hope.

"Mmm… not that I can remember…"

He hung his head.

"Give me time; I'm sure it'll come to me," Derflinger said reassuringly. "Well, providing you buy me from this place, that is."

Instantly, Ranma-Kirche was upon the shopkeeper, a childishly cute look on her face. "Hey, Mr. Shopkeeper! How much can I have Derflinger for?"

He sweated, given the sudden attention. "U-uh… w-well, sw-swords normally go for about 200 gold…"

"Really?" He slightly thrusted Kirche's borrowed form's chest forward while drawing Derflinger's hilt just between them. "That sounds awfully pricey…"

"Ah… well… I um…" He couldn't help but gaze at Derflinger and the surrounding area. "W-well, s-suppose I could let it go for… a hundred gold…"

"Only a hundred gold…" the real Kirche spoke, drawing fingers down along the unbuttoned opening of her own Academy blouse. One button seemed to loosen by itself. "Mmm… I don't know… it has been rather unkept…"

The shopkeeper whimpered, confronted by matching redheaded beauties.

* * *

"You think he would have given us the business for free, too?" Ranma-Kirche spoke as he and Kirche left the alley of Leblanc's Weapon Shop.

"Perhaps if we pushed him a little longer." She stepped in front of the cursed boy. "I'm impressed, by the way. If I didn't know any better…"

Ranma smirked. "Well, hey…You got it—" he started.

"—flaunt it," she finished

They grinned at each other. "Let's see what else we can get together."

By the time noon came, it was readily apparent the two left no survivors in their wake.

* * *

"Wow!"

The head of the stable hands looked up from the mare he was grooming. "What is it, Lyons?"

"I've never seen a saddle so soaked before, sir!" the young boy cried out as he struggled with grooming a newly brought-in horse. "She must have been _really_ sweaty!"

The head's ears perked up. "She?"

"Yeah. This girl with really pink hair! She was breathing hard and couldn't really walk all that good afterwards, but yeah, really sweaty!"

The head practically teleported over to Lyon's side. "Ah…" he said with a bitten back leer. "She really _was_, um… sweaty. Here, allow me to take care of this for you, boy. We certainly can't, ah, leave it like so… "

The saddle was quickly removed and carried away.

"Sir! Where are you going with that saddle?" the boy asked, perplexed.

"To, um… my office. I'll… personally take of this one. With my 'special' kit. Get back to work, Lyons."

Lyons' eyes widened in worship. "The Boss is sure a dedicated worker… One day when I grow up, I want to be just like him!"

One stable hand who had seen and heard the conversation patted Lyons on the head like a puppy. "I pray to the Founder that day should never come to pass."

Several other stable hands solemnly nodded in response.

* * *

"What a haul," Ranma chuckled as he laid on the soft bed, still wearing Kirche's form. While he wasn't aware of the currency exchange rate in comparison to yen, he was fairly certain he and Kirche had just went through something like hundreds of thousand of yen for damn near nothing. Free meals, cheap potions, even cheaper earrings for Kirche (and, well, him, but since he didn't wear such girly things, he let her have them).

At one point, they actually _did_ encounter one man so taken by them that he offered up his business when they were dissatisfied with a particular outfit – well, really, it was Kirche being dissatisfied in general, and Ranma, being Kirche's "twin," chiming in.

Ranma still couldn't believe he was now co-owner of a small clothing shop with Kirche. He kind of felt bad about that.

It was about then that he decided that maybe there _was_ such a thing as too much of a good thing and had to talk Kirche into scaling back for the day. Kirche pouted, mostly because she now wanted to see if it was really possible to capture most of Tristainia's commerce through their methods.

"Aww… you spoilsport," she sighed, making a devastatingly cute pouting face when he was firm in his resolution.

Oh, yeah, definitely time to scale back, he thought as he tried his best to remain unaffected. Probably failed, but Kirche didn't push the issue anymore, so it was a "win" for him today.

Taking the deed of their deeds with them, the two found a room at an inn to rest in for a few hours.

Which they got for free, of course.

"You are _so_ wicked," Kirche grinned. "Teasing that poor innkeeper like that. And _you_ were the one that wanted to cut back on such things."

"Hey, I just wanted to know it still worked," he said, pointedly looking away. The way she leaned when she spoke like that put a few more ideas into his head. "That's all…"

Her grin widened. "Really…"

"Yeah… could you heat up that pitcher of water? Much as it was fun, I really rather be a guy again."

"Mmm… in a minute."

He looked up to see Kirche approaching him, hips swaying from side to side as she neared. He swallowed, almost hypnotized by her actions. What was she doing?

The naturally-born redheaded magus slowly straddled his cursed body on the bed, her weight light on his thighs. "You know, you are the most fun person I've ever been with in this land…"

Heat began to rise in Ranma-Kirche's body. "U-um… Kirche?"

"Really…" Her fingertips skimmed along his cursed body's breasts, spreading outward to draw up his arms. Shivers rode throughout his body as she did so. "You know how hard it is to find someone to love like you?"

He shook his head, not certain if he could trust his mouth to not say something unintelligent.

"Almost impossible, darling."

She lightly clawed at the fabric knot of his shirt.

He swallowed. "K-Kirche…"

A slim finger pressed against his lips, silencing him. That same finger then began tracing its shape. Ranma-Kirche unconsciously caught the digit between his lips, sucking on it lightly.

Her green eyes widened a little as she smiled warmly. "Ranma…"

He released her finger, blushing all over. "U-um… K-Kirche…" His eyes glanced over towards the pitcher of water.

She grinned, lowering her upper half until their breasts touched. He eyes switched from the pitcher to hers. His face felt hot.

"I don't mind if it's me I'm looking at when you're like this."

He didn't have any response for her. He rather be a guy… He really wanted to be a—

"I love you."

The taste of her mouth on his blew away his weak protesting. It wasn't the same mindblowing kiss she had first laid upon him right after revealing her knowledge of his curse, yet this one almost burned through his very soul. It was like drinking in fire itself and letting consume them both.

God, he wanted more. He wanted so much more, to be reduced to ashes by this woman. This feeling…

=BANG=

Reality fell right on top of him as the kiss was shattered. Drunk on desire, he forced himself to sit up with Kirche to see just what the hell was going on. And whose ass he needed to kick, quick.

He blinked in stunned surprise. It was Louise standing in the doorway. A highly agitated, disheveled, wild-eyed Louise.

"Y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y…"

Kirche growled as she slid off Ranma. "What fine timing you have Vallière…" she snorted as she approached the pink-haired girl.

Those wild, unfocused eyes settled upon Kirche. "Y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y…"

The Germanian withdrew her wand from between her breasts. "Is that all you can say, Vallière? Envious? Too jealous to—"

Louise pounced onto the redhead before she could blink, knocking her down to ground.

Ranma-Kirche scrambled to his feet to rip them apart before—

He stopped cold upon seeing the sight.

Kirche's eyes were wider than the two moons of Halkeginia as Louise hotly kissed her with all her might. It was like her very soul sought to claim her in whole, passionate desire raging off of the smaller Louise.

Kirche's eyes eventually rolled up towards her hairline before closing abruptly.

Louise broke off the kiss once the Germanian went limp.

Ranma blinked again. "What the—"

He realized his error in speaking aloud as Louise instantly zeroed in on him. Eyes took recognition as before he could get out of the way, she had tackled him onto the ground as well.

"Holy—"

Hungry lips devoured his with a raging, lustful intensity. She tried to drink in his whole face at that, like she was attempting to cram herself into him.

What the fuck?

His cursed body – busty, tall and tan – he could feel it change, began shrinking, skin tone lightening.

What the fuck!

The last thing he remembered was the pink-haired starting to grope his decreasing bust like a wanton beast lost in its need.

* * *

"Oh, mother, father, I've have my innocence taken by the Vallière. I can no longer be a pure bride for my beloved. Ancestors, please accept my modest, humble life into your ranks."

"No killing yourself," Ranma, finally returned to male form, spoke, taking the pen knife from the Germanian before she actually decided to use it in a threatening manner.

"Like you were ever innocent, modest, or humble," Louise grumbled, her face still burning as she sat at the small table in the rented room. "All I did was… was…"

"Kiss the fuck out of us?" he supplied. He was still annoyed about Louise charging in like a demented lunatic. That moment with Kirche... still made him shiver. It would becoming addicting, that he knew for certain.

"Th-th-that… i-i-i-t's your fault in the first place!" Louise snarled, pointing an accusatory finger at him.

"How the hell is it _my_ fault!" he roared.

"Y-your stupid feelings keep getting sent into my head! I kept telling you to stop flirting with her, and look what you made me do! If anyone should be upset about losing their innocence, it should be me! Your dirty thoughts kept twisting in my head, twisting and building until I couldn't even think! I just did! I'm out of a pair of panties, my saddle was all sticky and you two are in here making out as _girls_! I'm lucky my sanity's still intact!"

The room went silent.

Ranma's eyes were wide. "…what?"

Kirche looked thoughtful. "Huh. That would explain the kiss, then."

Louise reddened again. "It's not like I _wanted_ to..." she said in a small voice.

Kirche beamed at the strawberry blonde. "If you can kiss like that normally, there might be hope for you yet, Louise."

"I don't want that kind of hope!" Louise roared.

"…you know, had you told me about you... um, getting my thoughts or something, we could've just nipped it in the bud a long time ago and avoided this mess," Ranma said finally, arms folded sagely.

Wholly embarrassed, Louise didn't look at him or Kirche. "Like you know something..."

"Had you just did the meditation exercises, I'm really certain you'd have been fine."

"Meditation?"

"Yeah. With a bit of practice, you could've completely blocked out my incoming thoughts or whatever."

She stared at the martial artist. "Really?"

"Really."

She was standing right before him in a burst of speed even he would have had trouble of tracking.

"Teach me, Master," she spoke with wide, shiny eyes. "Teach this humble servant of yours everything she must know."

He blinked, embarrassed while Kirche howled with laughter.

"It seems the master/servant roles have been reversed here!"

Louise glared at the redhead, exasperated. "I really couldn't care less at this moment, so long as I'm not thinking of tying you to the bed with rope and using gryphon feathers anymore!"

Kirche stopped laughing. She glanced at Ranma who stared at Louise uncomprehendingly.

"So, what other things had he been thinking of doing with me?" she asked Louise, pen and paper produced from somewhere in the room in hand.

Louise paled. "Are you _insane_? I don't want to revisit his thoughts!"

Ranma flushed, mortified. "Why are they _my_ thoughts! I don't even know what a gryphon is!"

Kirche put a finger to her chin. "Hmm… So, _Louise_ is thinking of such things? I have a cousin who appreciates such a kinky girl."

"I AM NOT A KINKY GIRL!"

"Too bad. He's a bit of a masochist, too."

"KIRCHE!"

She ignored Louise and looked at Ranma. "Though I was dismayed to find that you've turned back into Louise again."

Ranma shrugged. "Well, it only happened when she kissed me." He scrunched up his face, pondering. "Huh... seems like the only people I turn into are you two. Might have something to do with you two kissing me and stuff."

Kirche's eyes widened slightly. "Is that so…" She hopped into his lap suddenly, arms around his neck. "Well, in that case, let's put it to the test, shall we?"

"Don't you _dare_ touch him until he teaches me how to meditate!" Louise bellowed.

"Aw, don't be that way, Louise. It's only going to be a peck."

"Kirche!"

"A really long peck."

"Kir~che!"

"With maybe a little bit of tongue."

"_KIRCHE!_"

Ranma lightly palmed his face. It was going to be a long afternoon…


	6. The Dirt Down and Dirty

**Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi. Familiar of Zero (Zero no Tsukaima) is owned by Noboru Yamaguchi. All rights reserved.**

**Zero Interface**  
Chapter Six  
The Dirt (Down and Dirty)

"Okay, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing."

The Vallière girl did as instructed, sitting in one of the chairs in the inn. Her hands were folding in her lap, and she tried to relax as much as possible. Ranma sat across from her in another chair, while Kirche laid on her stomach, head propped up on her elbows, as she watched the meditation scene play out.

"Breathe in… hold… 1, 2, 3, 4… breathe out… hold… 1, 2, 3, 4…"

Louise complied, following the lesson to her utmost ability.

"Do you think it'll really work?" Kirche spoke from her place, her face a mask of boredom.

"Yeah, don't see why it wouldn't," Ranma replied, not taking his eyes off Louise. "Good… good… keep focusing on your breath… All those thoughts and feelings running around in your head, let them melt off. Just let them all go on their own."

"Mmm…" She rolled over onto her back, eyes up at the ceiling. "It'll be troublesome if she's always aware of what you're feeling."

He nodded absently. "Yeah… really, it would be."

She realized something a moment later. "Hey, you didn't really tell me about yourself."

He looked up at her. "Nothing special, really. Trained a lot, moved around…" His face darkened a bit. "Got cursed." Then it lightened. "Nothing interesting."

"Aw, come on…"

"No, really, it's rather… dull."

Not that Kirche really believed such a thing. However, before she could dig further, a light snore grabbed their attention. "Is she…?"

Ranma frowned, poked Louise. She didn't react.

"She fell asleep?"

"Looks like it," Ranma said.

"That was quick."

"I'm pretty certain that shouldn't have happened. Not unless she was really worn out or something."

"Given how… intense she was earlier, that might be the answer."

Ranma thought about that for a moment before he reluctantly nodded. "A real load off her mind, then, though I don't really get why she's getting my feelings piped into her head."

"An enigma, to be certain," Derflinger spoke from his resting place beside the bed Kirche was laying on.

The martial artist looked over at the sword. "You know something about this?"

"A couple of things come to mind. The girl that kissed you and your lovely companion, are you her familiar?"

Ranma scowled at that. "She _summoned_ me, if that's what you're talking about. I'm not a familiar, though."

"However, you _are_ marked with the Familiar Runes."

Ranma's face scrunched in annoyance. "Maybe…"

"Stubborn, aren't you, Partner?"

He waved a dismissive hand. "Look, I only stayed to help her out. Once she learns Void magic, I'll have completed my job and =POOF= get sent back home so Louise can get a real familiar, right? I mean, how hard would it be?"

Kirche blinked. If Derflinger had visible eyes, they would have blinked, too.

"Darling…"

"Mm?"

Kirche looked at the rusty blade, then at Ranma. "The Springtime Summoning Ritual… it doesn't work like that."

"What do you mean?"

"The only way Louise could get another familiar is if…" Kirche looked away after moment of indecision.

"…if what?"

Derflinger filled in. "If you, the current familiar, dies, Partner."

Ranma looked at the sword blankly.

"It's a full-time job once summoned, the retirement plan being rather permanent."

The air hummed in silence.

Kirche looked the pigtailed martial artist with concern. "Darl—"

He fell over from his seated position, twitching.

"Looks like he took that well," Derflinger commented mildly.

* * *

"TV, how could you have lied to me?" Ranma muttered, still slightly stunned from the revelation of his current situation as he prepared to carry the still-sleeping Louise on his back.

"I don't know who this TV is," Derflinger spoke from his position on Ranma's hip. "But I'd recommend never listening to them again. They don't sound very trustworthy in matters like these."

Ranma groaned as he picked up the unconscious girl.

"Cheer up, darling. I'm certain there must be another way to get you home."

"Not that," he commented, setting Louise back down on the chair. "Is Louise wearing something underneath her skirt?"

Kirche blinked. "I… don't think she is." She took a quick peek. "Huh. She really is a child down there as well."

Ranma palmed his face. When it rains…

* * *

"Ah! Miss Kirche! Have you come up with a new plan for my business?"

Kirche waved off the nervous-looking lanky former clothes store owner's question. "Reneau, I need a pair of panties for a small girl."

* * *

Ranma looked at the bleached white undergarments Kirche held up.

"Those look like men's underwear."

"Reneau doesn't carry anything even remotely sexy for women. As co-owners of his store, we must change that. It's a wonder how on earth his business survived as long as it did."

He shrugged. Might as well do something since he was marooned on a strange world like Halkeginia.

"Well, let's get her all pantied up so we can go."

* * *

"What do you mean you can't find Louise's saddle?"

Ranma sighed as a stable boy tried explaining it to an annoyed-looking Kirche. "W-well, the stable head took it to be cleaned… and well, we haven't seen him since earlier this afternoon."

An older, gruff man with a thick mustache and squinty eyes came out. "Ah, is that the noble lass looking for a missing saddle?"

"Y-yes, sir," the nervous stable hand spoke quickly.

The mustached man waved him off, and hurridly he ran off.

"Is De La Croix still in charge of Academy's stables?"

Kirche made a small shrug. "I suppose."

"Then tell him this if he should ask about the missing saddle: 'Percival's cleaning it.'"

"Percival's cleaning it?"

The man grimaced. "He'll understand when you tell him. In fact, don't worry about the horse in the meanwhile. We'll care for it here till tomorrow."

Kirche looked at the man slightly wary. "Fine then, is there another horse for us to use?"

"I'm sorry to say we have not a spare one at the moment." He bowed his head. "My most humble apologies, noble lass. We won't have another one prepared till later tonight."

"Isn't that great?" Kirche muttered, her features crossed.

Ranma walked up beside the redhead. "Eh, don't worry about it. I can go on foot, no problem."

She looked at him. "Ranma, it's three hours on horseback. On foot, it'll take considerably longer."

He smiled. "I'll be fine. You take a Louise and go on ahead."

"You don't even know where the Academy is."

"…thattaway." He pointed in a direction.

"As much as I'd like to take you that way, you're point towards Germania," she said, bemusedly.

He sweated slightly. "Oh... Well, guess I better keep up with you then…"

"But you'll still be traveling on foot."

Ranma grinned, folding his arms across his chest. "I can swim all the way to China from Japan. I doubt a little walk is going to be any worse."

She gave him a sidelong look. "Monsters and robbers do roam the forest at night, you know. It's simply too dangerous for one person to deal with such things, even if it's you, darling."

Ranma's eyes lit up. "Really, now?"

And thus began Kirche's education of what not to say to Ranma when you don't want him to do something.

* * *

The twin moons shone light upon the trio as they continued to make their way towards Tristain's Academy of Magic. Kirche had taken hold of the reins of the Academy horse, with Louise snoring lightly at her back. Ranma traveled beside the horse on foot.

"You know, you could go a bit faster than this," Ranma said, his hands folded behind his head.

"I don't wish for you to end up lost," she replied.

"And I told you, I can keep up just fine."

Kirche shook her head. Though she didn't want to think about it, what if he couldn't? Sure, Ranma stole her heart when he obliterated Guiche's bronze golems, but…

"If I go any faster, Louise might fall off."

"Oh, yeah…" He looked up at her. "Man, she's still asleep? How exhausted could she be?"

"I don't really know. You'd think she burned herself out of magic."

"What? You mean you can't keep casting spells all day?" he asked perplexed.

Kirche shook her head. "Of course not. Magic is fueled by a mage's willpower. Every spell a mage casts uses a certain amount of willpower. When that amount is exhausted, the mage can no longer cast spells and would have to rest to recover the lost willpower."

His brows knitted together. "Huh. That's kind of interesting. How do you get more willpower, then?"

She smiled. "Simple: learn another element. Every time you do, your willpower doubles. You can perform stronger magic, although such magic will cost more willpower to use, naturally. However, you could still perform the same dot class magic as a Square-class mage for the same amount of willpower as when you were still just a dot mage."

"So everything's a set price, then, so to speak."

"So to speak."

"Wow," Ranma looked skyward. "Sort of like in the video games, I see."

"Video games?"

He straightened up a bit. "Um, it's sort of complicated to explain."

"I see. Perhaps you can show me these 'video games' someday." Ranma looked over at the mage to see her smiling at him. The way light was cast upon her…

"Mmm… so pretty…"

Kirche squeaked, finding Louise's hands touching her body. Ranma blinked.

"Isn't she asleep?" he asked.

Kirche captured one of Louise hands and tucked it away. The other one, she controlled with her own hand. "Would she still be receptive to any… desires you might have?" she spoke, giving him a knowing look.

"Hey, I hadn't thought of anything like that," he hissed, slightly annoyed with the insinuation. "And, I wouldn't know, anyway. I would've thought she'd've like burned it out or something."

"It'll be troubling if she can't get that part of her under control," Kirche said with a sigh. "I would hate for her to turn into a perverted old man."

Ranma nodded, though he couldn't explain why he had a chill run down his spine at the words "perverted old man."

"Well, let's hope she can push that kind of stuff out of her head once I finish teaching her how to meditate."

"You know," Derflinger spoke from his place on Ranma's back. "Perhaps it's not such a bad exchange. Not all mages need to rest to restore their willpower."

Ranma glanced over his shoulder. "Hmm? What do you mean?"

"Well, I seem to recall one mage that developed an interesting way of restoring his willpower quickly."

"And, just how did he accomplish that?" Kirche asked, a bit intrigued.

"Grope his familiar's butt."

The quiet forest became unnaturally loud in its silence.

Ranma coughed into his fist. "So… preventing Louise from becoming a—"

"Please do," Kirche ordered before Ranma could finish his thought, the thoughts of her stroking Flame's hindquarters while shouting weird phrases leaving her with a decidedly queasy feeling.

"What?" Derflinger asked in puzzlement.

* * *

Ranma sighed as the Academy came into view and closing in. They were a hundred yards away from the front gates. "Well, that was kind of uneventful."

"Doubtless Louise would have awoken even if something did happen," Kirche pointed out.

Sure enough, Louise had managed to sleep just as soundly for another four hours on horseback.

She shook her head. "I can imagine her sleeping through a war."

Ranma checked on her. "Huh… I wonder if she slept at all last night."

The comment was answered by a heavy vibration through the ground. The horse reared in fright, and it was all Kirche could do to not let Louise or herself fall off the startled mare.

"What was that!" she cried out.

"I don't know! I don't live here!" Ranma shot back, checking his footing, as another tremor shook the earth beneath. Followed by another and another.

"Hey, take it easy!" Kirche frantically tried soothing the rented ride. "We're still on you, here!"

Ranma whipped his head in an attempt to survey the grounds. There was a thunderous pounding within the confines of the school walls.

"It's coming from the Academy?" he said, dumbfounded. "What kind of magic are they doing down there?"

"Magic? Kyaa!"

The moment Kirche took a little of her focus off of controlling the panicking mare, it bucked her and Louise off. Both girls tumbled into the grass, while the rental horse ran off into the woods.

Kirche let off a curse at the retreating equestrian ride, while Louise sat up oblivious, grass and dirt in her hair and on her clothes. Here eyes were still slanted with sleep.

"What going on?" she asked, yawning.

Ranma helped her and Kirche up. "Earthquake would my best guess."

"Except earthquakes don't attack castle walls directly," Derflinger commented.

"What?" The three teens turned their eyes upon the talking sword.

"Look ahead and to your right."

They could just see the dark shape of a fist gleaming in the moonlight as it reared back and struck forward, creating another banging sound.

"What the hell is that?" Ranma asked, eyes locked on the moving fist.

Derflinger rattled a bit in its sheathe. "Off hand, I would say it's a golem. A rather large one."

* * *

Fouquet the Crumbling Earth tsked, noticing how slow punching a hole through the wall was going. At this rate, it would take her all night to break through, and she didn't have that kind of time on her hands. Someone was bound to notice a thirty-five foot golem whacking away at the central tower.

Maybe she needed to double her forces, instead. It'd be taxing, to be certain, but if it got the job done any faster…

A surge of heat slammed into her golem's back, rocking it forward, but causing negligible damage.

"Stop right there!" a shrill, high-pitched voice shouted from the ground below.

Fouquet finally turned to face her disruption.

Or, rather three disruptions.

Academy students… or at least they used to be Academy students, she thought, as she instructed the ironized golem to squish them like bugs.

* * *

"Well that didn't work," Kirche deadpanned, seeing her fireball knock out a small chunk of metal from the earth-made colossus. "I think now would be a good time for running."

"That looks a hell of a lot more impressive than that kid's golems," Ranma whistled.

"What is wrong with you?" Louise snapped at the pigtailed martial artist.

"Hmm? What?"

"You… you… you're enjoying this aren't you!"

He blinked. "N… n-no! I'm just…"

"Run!" Kirche dove for what little cover she could find as the golem attempted to step on them.

Ranma snatched up Louise and went flying opposite from Kirche just before the foot stomped on the ground. The shockwaves blew them back more.

"Okay, so how on earth do we stop something that big?" he asked, looking up and the enormous behemoth.

Louise glared at him. "You're really enjoying this, aren't you?"

At that, he kind of shrugged. "Well, it beats boring."

She palmed her face with both hands. "What kind of familiar have I gotten myself…"

He started to open his mouth, but closed it. It just annoyed him that he had it all wrong, the terms of his return – there weren't any.

Louise shook her head. "All right. Let's try magic."

Ranma examined her, surprised. "You discovered something while you slept?"

"Not at all."

His face fell.

"But I'll be damned if I don't try something to stop this wretched vandal."

With mouth set, Louise began chanting the strongest spell she could think of.

"That's not going to work," Derflinger spoke. "She has yet to awaken it within herself."

"Well, I was working on that before _somebody_ shot my hopes down," Ranma spat, glaring at the sentient blade. "And how do you know so much about Void?"

"I once knew Founder Brimir."

Ranma blinked. "You what?"

"Fireball!" Louise cried out, thrusting her wand at the golem.

Nothing happened.

Then the wall behind the golem exploded, revealing a gaping hole in the tower. Someone leapt in through the opening.

Louise reddened, her mouth unable to close itself. "Oops…"

Ranma sighed. "I suppose we should work on her aiming or something."

"Well," Derflinger began. "If you can somehow subdue the mage controlling the golem, the golem itself will be no problem. Unfortunately, no one presently here has wings."

Ranma glanced over his shoulder. "No…" He grinned. "But I got something just as good."

* * *

Fouquet had no idea what kind of spell that pink-haired girl used, and she was not one to try and figure things out if it works to her benefit. Though she kind of feared what would have happened had that spell hit _her_ instead. The Academy walls were highly reinforced to withstand any magical attack, and held up quite well against blunt force trauma.

A missed spell that could defeat that kind of reinforcing… she didn't want to think too much about it anymore.

Instead, she quickly hopped into the sealed treasury room and grabbed the item that she came for, and was startled by how incredibly _light_ it was.

Just what was the Staff of Destruction made from?

Tossing aside her wonderment, Fouquet quickly burned her message into the vault's wall. Lightly, she hopped back out onto the golem.

"All right, now to escape," she spoke under her breath, a victorious smile on her lips.

"Well, it's kind of rude to leave without introducing yourself," a voice cheerfully spoke from beside her. Her eyes widened in fright.

How did someone sneak up on her?

=PUNT=

And why was the ground coming up so fast?

She plowed into softened earth, a hastily muttered spell having saved her from some very troubling broken limbs. However, she had no idea what happened, or where she was.

Or what happened to the Staff of Destruction! Shit! A quick glance back showed her golem was several yards away now.

The box containing the legendary staff was nowhere to be seen.

Oh, this was bad! She had no idea what happened and she needed to get out now before someone—

A wand was jabbed right before her face. On the other end of said wand was one pink-haired Academy student. The very same one that punched a hole through a Square-class reinforced wall.

Fouquet gulped. Images of what happened to the wall happening to her were now passing through her mind.

"I'll be taking that off your hands," another voice singsonged, relieving the infamous thief of her wand. The owner of the voice came into view, revealing a busty, tanned redhead Academy student. Somewhere behind her, she could hear her creation crumble into a huge mound of earth.

The great Fouquet the Crumbling Earth… caught… by children…

She buried her face in the soft earth in shame.

"Man, I think whatever's in this box is broken."

Her head shot back up unnerved. "You broke it!" she squeaked.

Two wands were thrust into her face, making the thief flinch.

An annoyed-looking young man with a braid – most assuredly _not_ an Academy student – snapped back."I didn't break anything! You threw it up and it hit off the broken wall!"

She blinked, her lower lip trembling.

The great Fouquet the Crumbling Earth… Caught… by children… and a _commoner_…

She buried her face in the soft earth in shame.

* * *

"Simply astonishing, Partner!" Derflinger cried out as Ranma fiddled with the slender wooden crate in his hands. "I never once seen someone actually_jump_ as high as you, not to mention run up on the side of a building without the use of magic! Astounding!"

"Eh, it's nothing really," Ranma chuckled before returning his attention to the strange parcel in hand. "What is this, anyway?" Ranma wondered aloud as he pried off the loosened lid.

He blinked as he looked inside. "This…"

"The Staff of Destruction, you ingrate…" the golem's controller growled out. "How could you break it!"

"This?" Ranma pulled out a long cylindrical device. His left hand started to glow, making his scrunch his face up even moreso in puzzlement.

Kirche took a glance in Ranma's direction. "That's definitely the Staff of Destruction. I saw it once during my tour of the treasury vault."

The pigtailed martial artist started flipping open levers, extending the body of tube and other things.

"Darling, what are you doing?"

"Just… what's in my head." He finalized the last click and placed the Staff of Destruction on his shoulder. He pointed it towards the sky, aiming at one of the two moons overhead.

"Darling?"

"That's just… weird as hell." Within seconds, Ranma had snapped closed everything he had opened up and returned the tube back into the crate. He tapped the nails back into place with his index before shaking his head.

"That's just impossible… totally impossible."

"What is, Ranma?" Louise asked, a worried look on her face.

"That thing you call the 'Staff of Destruction?' It's really called an M72 LAW; it's from my world."

He grinned excitedly. "And I have no idea how it got here."

* * *

"Well, this is a rather… unfortunate turn of events…" Osmond stroked his beard sadly as he watched the town guards escort Miss Longueville (aka Fouquet the Crumbling Earth) from the Academy grounds at mid-morning, cuffed in magic-resistant chains. Her wand was also secured.

He really wished he could stroke her bottom once more; it was rather appealing to his hand, after all. Of course, her lack of objection the first time he did so – he met her when she was working as a waitress in a tavern he would frequent – coupled with her honeyed words of praise about his appearance and physique… Well, in hindsight, he supposed she was… misleading him a bit, with her aim of stealing the Staff of Destruction being paramount in her mind.

Beautiful women were deadly mages…

Nodding to himself, he turned his attention from the Far-Seeing Mirror to the three people in his office. Louise Vallière, Kirche von Zerbst, and… that commoner Louise summoned… what was his name again? Something strange… started with an R…

Rhonda…

Ramen…

Rambo...

Osmond shook his head. He'll figure it out.

* * *

"An excellent job well done, everyone! Thanks to you, a dangerous criminal has been apprehended, and the Staff of Destruction has been protected."

The old man, whom Ranma learned was Headmaster Osmond, touched both Louise and Kirche upon their heads. "I've already sent a request to the palace that you two shall be awarded the title 'Chevalier.' We should be hearing from them soon enough."

While Ranma didn't know what a "chevalier" was, it seemed like a big deal, as both Louise and Kirche looked expressly happy about getting the title.

Then Louise paused, as she realized something. "Ranma… won't get anything?" Louise asked. Kirche glanced back at him with a slightly concerned look on her face.

"Eh, it's no big deal," Ranma spoke up, eyes cut to the ceiling. While he figured he wouldn't get much respect since he was stuck being tied to Louise as a familiar, it would have been a little bit of a nice surprise to be rewarded like he meant something in the grand scheme of things in Halkeginia. Ungrateful bastards…

Osmond cleared his throat. "Yes, it's a rather unfortunate situation; otherwise, he, too, would be properly rewarded."

"Anyway," Ranma cut into the conversation – he didn't want to have that hanging over him. "The Staff of Destruction, where'd you get it from?"

Osmond blinked at this change of conversation. "Oh?"

"You see, I'm not from this world, and neither is the Staff of Destruction. We both come from the same place in another world. So, how on earth did you end up with this?"

Osmond stroked his beard thoughtfully. A look at, first, Louise, then Kirche.

"Very well, I shall tell you three about the Staff of Destruction, and the tale of my savior." He cleared his throat.

"Thirty years ago, I was strolling through the forest, when I was attacked by a two-headed dragon. I fought it off to no avail. Just as the dragon was about to eat me, my savior appeared, carrying two Staffs of Destruction. He used one and slew the dragon with one fell blast of its magic before he collapsed to the ground. When I approached him, I could see that he had suffered terrible injuries. I hastened to bring him to the Academy and treat his wounds, but they were too great for magic to fix."

"So, he died…" Ranma said slowly.

Osmond nodded his head sadly. Louise hung her head a little, while Kirche looked off to her right, subdued.

"I had buried the Staff of Destruction he used to save my life alongside of him in his grave. The other one, I gave it the name 'Staff of Destruction' and put it into the Academy's vault in order to honor his memory."

The headmaster looked out the window of his office. "The days up until his final moments, he kept asking me 'Where is this place?' 'I want to go back to my world.' Having never heard of other worlds, I had no idea how to help him."

Ranma studied the headmaster acutely. "Did he say how he got here? Who summoned him? Friends?"

"Nothing of the like," Osmond replied. "Even now, I still have no idea how he showed up."

The pigtailed boy nodded, his eyes closed in deep thought. "So, I'm not the only one, then…"

"Darling," Kirche began, clasping her hand around his wrist.

Ranma blinked, jarred out of his thoughts. He turned to Osmond. "Did you find any others like that guy? People that didn't know where they were, how they got here."

Osmond shook his head. "Even though Tristain is a small nation, there are still numerous people. I kept an ear open in the case I stumbled across someone like my savior, but, until you arrived, it was but an empty hope."

"Huh…"

"There's something I'd like to talk about, pertaining to the Runes on your left hand."

Ranma held up his let hand. "These Runes?"

Osmond nodded.

"They're called, _Gandalfr_. Lets me be able to master any and all weapons, no matter what my level of familiarity is with it."

Osmond blinked, and suddenly felt a shiver go down his spine.

Ranma shrugged. "Or at least, that's what Derf told me when I asked him about it after catching that Fouquet girl."

The headmaster made a face. "Derf?"

"That would be me, kid," Derflinger said in response. "And you will address me as _Lord_ Derflinger."

Ranma palmed his face as Osmond twitched.

Louise and Kirche looked at each other. "Sentient sword," they said to the headmaster simultaneously.

"I… see…" Though the look on his face said anything but that. "So, you know about the Runes, then."

"Well, yeah. Kinda explained the music in my head every time I get ready to fight, or swing a sword."

"Music?" Derflinger echoed.

"Yeah, some kind of weird song or something. I never really could tell what it is or if there's words involved but…. It feels pretty much like something you'd listen to in the heat of a battle."

"…hmm. You're a rather strange one, Partner. Perhaps it has something to do with that 'curse' of yours."

"Curse?" Osmond asked, a growing sense of uneasiness on his face. "What kind of curse?"

Ranma turned around as he realized something. "Hey, since you can't have the palace make me a chevalier or something, how about you do something for me, sort of like a 'Thank You' for catching that thief last night."

"Well, I'll be glad to help you in any way I can, as a sign of my appreciation."

Ranma grinned. "Great. You see, I got this curse, here…"

* * *

"You know you've really traumatized a teacher, if their first reaction upon seeing two of you is to either faint, or run away screaming," Kirche grinned as the small group quickly left Osmond's office.

Louise scowled. "Shut. Up."

Ranma toweled his head off after Kirche restored his masculinity. "Well, at least he told us a couple of interesting things before he asked to see the curse in action." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Ragdorian Lake, huh? That's where a water spirit lives."

"Well, that was his best guess, seeing that you have a curse that's borne of water. But that can wait for tomorrow. Tonight's the Ball of Frigg! Let's celebrate our good fortune by dancing the night away!" She spun around, laughing.

Ranma couldn't help but smile at her antics. It was just like her to be so childish at times. Though that also made her pretty cute, too.

She paused in mid-twirl, her eyes set upon Ranma. "Oh, that right, before I forget…" She hopped over to him, stole a kiss off his lips, then grinned at a blinking, horrified Louise. "Kissed him last."

She stuck her tongue out and grinned even wider. "With tongue."

"K-K-K-Zerbst! Stand still so I can blow you up!"

Kirche, however, was already running down the hallway. "Not in a million years, Vallière!"

"KIRCHE!"

Ranma covered his mouth with one hand while desperately trying to repress his own thoughts and feelings. He _so_ didn't want to go through this again.

"Ranma," Louise turned upon him when Kirche had already vanished. "I demand that you kiss me and undo that woman's work!"

His eyes bugged out. "Are you out of your mind! I'm not getting into a kissing contest with you, too!"

"Set it right! Set it back to just me!"

Ranma ran. Louise gave chase.

"Ranma! Get back here and kiss me!"

"No way, you crazy chick!"

"I command you to kiss me now!"

"No!"

=BOOM= "_Kiss me!_"

"Partner, you are a-_mazing_! I've _never_ seen a Master demand her familiar to take her lips so forcefully before!"

Forget the Ball; just get him a horse and directions to Ragdorian Lake. The sooner this curse was cured, the better!


	7. Cat Scratch Fever

**Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi. Familiar of Zero (Zero no Tsukaima) is owned by Noboru Yamaguchi. All rights reserved.**

**Zero Interface**  
Chapter 7  
Cat Scratch Fever

Ranma sat in class beside Louise. Every so often, Louise cut a sidelong glance at him.

He still didn't look happy.

She frowned, unable to come up with words for him.

"Could've been down at Ragdorian Lake by now…" Ranma spoke idly to himself. Though Louise could plainly hear him. "Chatting up the water spirit…."

Louise sighed. "We don't have any way to communicate with it. Stop being mad about it."

"I'd've been fine if you'd've let me swim down to the bottom of the lake."

Louise palmed her face. "Not only is it extremely rude to invade the home of a creature that's probably older than everyone in the school put together, you want to go swim, uninvited, through water – water that a _water_ spirit might decide to use to kill you with if you annoy it – for the sole purpose of _annoying_ it!"

"You make it sound like it's a bad idea."

Now she held her head. It seemed like whenever a cure to his curse came about, he became extremely obstinate.

"Fine, why don't go by yourself?"

Ranma looked off to the side and out the window. "…don't know where it's at," he grumbled.

Well, at least it changed his mood to annoyed. Louise was tiring of his manic bursts mixed in with frustration. It just made her cranky.

Though, she was sort of handling those incoming feelings a slight bit better. Ever since she… well, kissed it out of her system, she sought to release the foreign emotions through acting them out. However, Louise had no desire to "act" anything out again, given just how dirty the feelings felt.

So she turned to meditation. But it didn't really do much in blocking things. Ranma said it might take a little time before she could get the results she sought.

Time she didn't have.

Jerk…

Changing tactics, she tried undo the process of getting his emotions. Not that she had a clue as to how it happened in the first place. So, for the most part, she stuck with the tried-and-true "prevent Ranma from having certain feelings that she found embarrassing" method. Usually applied to Kirche, who, despite her reaction to being deeply kissed by Louise, did not seem to pay a lick of attention to her situation and continued trying to seduce Ranma, but also made applicable towards anyone whom she noticed Ranma paid attention to.

Like the maid in the kitchen; Louise didn't like the way that servant girl made Ranma feel.

And if all else failed, she could just blow up something or someone. After all, it seemed to have worked the first time it happened, though it left her, Kirche and Ranma stuck with rebuilding the wall in Vestri Court for days afterward.

Yeah, she wasn't eager to repeat that time; it made her hands ache just thinking about it.

"There's gotta be some way to get a hold of that water spirit," Ranma mumbled under his breath.

"Mou… you're so complainy for a familiar," someone behind him spoke, annoyed.

Ranma's eye twitched. "I'm not a famil—"

Louise jerked up suddenly. Something… was wrong. Something was dreadfully wrong. The annoyance Ranma had been emanating vanished so abruptly, it almost knocked her out of her seat. However, whatever replaced it, she couldn't begin to fathom; whatever it was, it was _cold_. The only thing that Louise was familiar with that even remotely touched upon whatever _that_ feeling could have been was… was…

Her mother came to mind.

Louise shivered.

"Gee, you're so complainy…" the voice continued speaking. Louise turned to see just who it was to inspire… _that_ in Ranma.

She blinked as she found herself looking at a small gray tabby, who laid flat upon her Master's desk with a sullen expression. It looked at Louise, then back at Ranma. "You make your Master cry. Go apologize."

"**YAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!**"

Louise tumbled out of her seat from the force of Ranma's scream. There was a terrible cracking sound, followed by heavy thuds and screams of her fellow students. Another explosion and then nothing but silence.

By the time Louise managed to get back her feet, Ranma was nowhere to be seen. The two rows of stone seats in front of Louise's and Ranma's seat had been obliterated, chunks of stone flung out of the way as though they were balloons. The blackboard and the wall behind it at the lecture floor had been had been blown through, a humanoid-shaped hole left in place.

The startled students and the current teacher Lafayette slowly turned their eyes upon Louise. Who sweated profusely.

"I… have _no_ idea what just happened…" she spoke weakly. Because whatever it was, it hadn't stopped. She still felt cold and… and… very much alone.

* * *

"It… it… it _talked_…" Ranma shivered uncontrollably. "It freaking… _talks_."

"What does?" a familiar voice spoke from behind. Ranma jumped, quickly berating himself for being… startled.

"Oh, hey, Siesta," he began nonchalantly. Then he blinked. "Wait, where am I?"

"Down by the kitchen," she replied, looking at Ranma a little oddly. "Are you okay? You seem kind of jumpy."

"Oh, hey, n-no sweat, yeah, I'm fine, really, nothing wrong here!" He laughed nervously, holding the back of his head. Holy crap, he ran _that_ far?

Siesta frowned, but shrugged. "All right. I just heard this awful scream, though, and I thought—"

"Ah, probably Louise blowing someone up," he said quickly. He blanched. Such a weak lie…

"Mmm, you're probably right. Miss Louise tends to have that sort of effect on people!" she laughed a little.

Ranma laughed along with her, albeit pretty pathetically. "Err, ah, yeah…"

"Oh, look at me… I'm being rude… laughing at your Master like that."

"Oh, it's… it's fine. She's… um…"

"'Our Fist!' What a wonderful surprise! Come, come, let us settle down over here and talk a little!"

And Ranma found himself dragged over to a table by the boisterous Marteau. Probably a good thing, too; it'd give him some time to try and figure out what he was going to tell Louise.

God, he hoped Kirche didn't see that.

* * *

"What happened with darling?" Kirche asked Louise as she followed the pinkette after class.

"How should I know?" she grumbled. Boy, did she not like the idea of having to go see Osmond later. It was that stupid Ranma's fault anyway! He should know better than to cause massive property damage in the first place! "All I know is he was complaining that we hadn't already went to Ragdorian Lake, that cat starts talking to him, and next thing I know, he's running through walls."

"Hmm… so, what did you do to him?"

"_Nothing_!"

"You had to have done _something_. I can't think of any reason why he would just… lose his mind."

Louise frowned to herself. While Kirche knew about Ranma's curse and how he sends emotions to her, did she really want to—

"What did you get from him?"

Louise blinked, then scowled. Damn, she remembered that.

"I don't know. It just did nothing. It was a blank."

Not exactly a lie.

Kirche shrugged. "Fine, fine. So you don't know what happened." She took ahead of Louise, her steps quite firm.

"Where are you going?" Louise asked.

The Germanian girl looked over her shoulder mischievously. "To find Ranma and seduce the answer out of him, what else?"

"Oh, oka—oh, no you don't!"

Kirche had already taken to a run down the hall, ignoring Louise's protest as she, too, ran after the redhead.

They paid no heed to the students, though one particular one tightened his fist as he gazed upon Kirche.

"Damn that commoner…" he mumbled under his breath. "There has to be some way to keep him out of her hair…"

* * *

It was hard _not_ to know about Kirche at Tristain's Academy of Magic. She was easily the most popular girl with the guys, and for good reason. To the average humdrum Tristainian, she was an exotic breath of fresh air that oozed sensuality and blessed every guy she met with a breathtaking smile. And she was _very_ easy on the eyes, too, with attributes that put to shame just about every girl any one of them could think of, both in and outside of the school.

Most guys could only want to be near her, flatter her, somehow gain her favor. Some, she sought, drank in, desired. None could manage to keep her, though. And it was fine to the majority of them. One-upping their fellow man with such a dazzling prize up for grabs, it suited their natures.

However, that subtly changed with the appearance of one commoner.

Louise the Zero's familiar.

At first, they were struck dumb by his appearance. A commoner summoned as a familiar? Ridiculous! The very notion made nearly all students at Tristain giggle uncontrollably. Surely, Louise must have been deeply ashamed of her lack of talent in magic and hired someone to pretend to be her familiar. It was the most popular belief in the school.

And then the commoner had not only angered Guiche de Gramont to the point that he challenged him to a duel, he then proceeded to defeat and wholly embarrass the noble in front of everyone in under a minute.

There _was_ no positive way they could think of to spin it, though many had tried. The only answer that even remotely made sense was either Guiche the Bronze was weak and had gotten careless, or he threw the fight. However, that left them stuck in a bind. Commoners should not be able to even touch a noble, let alone beat one, no matter how weak said noble is – well, maybe for someone so untalented like Louise the Zero, she would be an exception; then again, most had trouble even thinking of her as a mage in the first place. And Guiche was far from useless like Louise. So that left the other option – he threw the fight.

That would mean there was some gambling involved – of which if there was, it was privately among friends – or Guiche had simply gotten scared and took a dive. Neither reality was looked upon favorably whatsoever. The first would be supremely stupid without proper odds favoring such; the second, it was unthinkable.

So that left them with the only recourse – that a commoner had beaten the pants off a noble in what amounted to the most one-side battle they had ever laid eyes upon.

And the thought alone was mindboggling. Madness! Absolutely madness!

Even moreso, the commoner's overwhelming victory drew the attention of Kirche, and she made no secret about pursuing him.

This left many of her would-be lovers in a state of confusion. Why was she so insistent on chasing a commoner? Did she not think about her title and how it would look upon her? And moreover, what did it mean for them?

Kirche did not seem the least bit different at first, despite the rumors that she had started shunning others from creeping into her social circles. Such could be blamed on the other, lesser girls around the Academy. They never did like Kirche for some reason, but did they bother her about it? Oh no… They just yelled at the guys for no reason.

Jealous…

However, things began to not add up for the guys. Certain events and moments played out in such a way as to provoke a strong sense of insecurity among Kirche's paramour interests and would-bes. They soon began to fear that, whoever this commoner was, he had a firm grip on their lady.

Ever since the fight with Guiche, Kirche had been spending a lot more time with Louise, a strange occurrence since _nobody_ wanted to spend time with Louise – it was for fear of their health, not to mention how badly it looked upon them being even somewhat associated with The Zero. Vicious rumors also detailed that the Germanian had been wearing the commoner's clothing and physically beaten up some of her paramours while trying to woo her. Physically! With fists and kicks! When asked about it later, Kirche brushed it off as though nothing was the matter.

As if that wasn't bad enough, the most outrageous, damning piece of proof came at the Ball of Frigg, where, before several witnesses, she actually snubbed everyone that was talking to her just to have one dance with the damned commoner (who danced lousy, by the way). All because he just waltzed right up to her (looking bored at that… what a commoner) and told her that he was going to leave early. Just like that! And she was laughing!

Many liked to believe she was laughing at his lousy dancing ability. But trying to drag him back to the circle she had abandoned… the suitors did not feel too enlightened by this.

Was Kirche seriously enamored with a commoner? Most of her would-be suitors had no idea what to think, and chose to follow their usual patterns. Perhaps it was a phase she was going through – heavens knows more than one noble had his head turned by a pretty-faced commoner girl. Maybe she was just flirting with the commoner in order to annoy Louise the Zero. Not that many guys really understood why – girls continued to remain a bit mysterious. Sweet, delicate, gentle, verbally rip another girl's head off behind her back and serve the same girl cookies with a charming smile afterwards…

Girls were sometimes scary like that.

Some, however, did not have such naïve thoughts or wishes. Instead, some had formed a covert group, one whose sole goal was to deduce some way to eliminate the commoner from their lady's life. They called themselves the Noble Defenders of Their Lady. Surely, she needed someone to watch out for her best interests.

The group was small – only three members to its name – and when it came to actual goals, the only one they could agree on was that somehow that commoner had to give up on Kirche. She was way too good for him, and he really needed to learn his place in the pecking order, anyway.

So, they planned to confront him. He may have defeated a Dot Mage, but each member of The Noble Defenders of Their Lady was a Line Mage. They had twice the power of Guiche, and there were three of them versus the commoner's one. There was no way they could be defeated!

* * *

Too much wine… Ranma thought as he bobbed a little unsteadily, wandering somewhere behind the school. Just how many glasses of wine did Marteau force onto him anyway? He might be a cool dude, but really…

Geh. Ranma lightly smacked himself. He should have known better than to let the incident from this morning distract him and make him break his main rule of little to no wine – one so as to not be considered rude to people that he liked and water the rest of the time. He really didn't want to babble about stuff no one needed to know about.

Like this morning. If he ran up on Louise right now, he might just blab about everything, and that'd be embarrassing. So, he sought clearheadedness; he was going to need it to tell Louise a convincing story.

Just as he started to collect his thoughts, he noticed a trio of students standing nearby. They were watching him rather intently.

Ranma mentally shrugged and continued to walk off the wine.

"How repulsive…" one of the trio commented. "A commoner wasted on wine…"

"You'd never see a noble incapable of handling his drink," another spoke with a sneer

"And he dares think himself to be better than a noble."

Ranma eyed the trio carefully. "Dare you to find out," he spoke slowly. He could tell they were itching for a fight, and looking to somehow stack the deck against him, too. Jumping him while he didn't seem to be at his best… What a cowardly way to fight.

"Easy, Partner," Derflinger spoke from his back. "There are three of them."

"Eh, there could be three hundred of 'em, for all I care. Sad an' pathetic they are, they aren't gonna hurt me."

One of the trio brandished his wand menacingly. "Why you arrogant son of a—"

"Look, buddy," Ranma spoke. He was standing behind the wand-brandisher, almost back-to-back with him. "It's really not a good idea to piss me off."

It took a few seconds for the Academy students to realize where Ranma was. Once their brains actually made the connection, they sprang back, their eyes wide and nerves rattled. When did he move?

Ranma clicked his tongue a couple of times as he held up his hand. He was idly twirling a wand between his fingers. "I don't feel like throwing down with you right now, and without your wand, you're kinda useless, too, aren'tcha?"

The lead student looked stupidly at the marital artist. "Wh-what? Without my—"

He looked down.

His wand hand was empty.

His blood ran cold as things began to make the most horrible of sense to him. The other two students paled right along with him, as they each came to the same conclusion.

They were in deep trouble.

Ranma pressed his palm against one side of his head and cranked his neck, loudly popping the joints in it. The students winced, imagining it to be _their_ necks being popped like that.

_Deep_ trouble.

The commoner rolled his shoulders a few times before settling even eyes on each of them. "Really, now," he began. "Most you can do is shit yourself while I beat the stuffin' out of you. And believe me, I would very much like to beat the stuffin' outta something. Or someone, I don't care right now."

So deep, they would have to look up to see the bottom of the trouble they were in.

"But… that's not my thing. That's just not my thing right now. So why don't you all just run on back to your dorms and forget about messin' with me, okay? I got no beef with you, and you really shouldn't be all that worried about a 'commoner' like me anyway." He casually flicked the wand back at the petrified, wandless student. "So go, shoo, get out of here."

They ran.

Ranma snorted, scratching his head. Now, what was he going to say to Louise? Those idiots made him forget.

* * *

Well, _that_ went well…

They knew the guy was fast, but… Holy Founder, he was a monster. Did he somehow have magical powers or something?

They desperately needed to regroup and come up with something else.

Maybe a sneak attack? Did he have a weakness or something? They needed to find out something about him. Because that was scary.

* * *

"That was rather graceless of you, Partner" Derflinger spoke.

"Ah, shut up," Ranma retorted. "I'm allowed to just swipe and grab when I drunk too much. 'Sides, he didn't notice, and I can still beat 'em, even when drunk."

"That may be so," Derflinger said. "However, you will find that there are a lot stronger brand of magi in this world, some so strong that you could naught but hope for a quick death."

"Huh," he snorted. "The day I come across someone like that, I'll eat my hat."

"You don't have a hat, Partner."

"Exactly. It'd be a waste of money, anyway."

"If you insist, Partner. But do remember—"

"Yeah, yeah… someone's always better than the best."

"Speaking of which, I'm rather curious as to why you suddenly ran out of the classroom."

Ranma blinked. "Um, well…"

"Yes, Darling, I'd love to hear that explanation, too," Kirche spoke into his ear, arms looping around his neck.

Ranma reddened. The memory of the Day of Void still tickled in his mind, but he suppressed it. "Don't tell me…"

"Kirche!"

Ranma pinched the bridge of his nose. "Louise followed you, too."

"I tried shaking her off my trail," she replied with a shrug, having let go of Ranma. The Germanian's tone of voice, however, sounded very unconvincing of that fact.

He could feel a headache coming on as he turned to face the two. No, no, focus! But damn, how to tell them without Louise knowing… Rrgh, this was going to be a pain…

"Um, well, you see…"

The two girls neared. "Yes?" they spoke eerily in sync.

Ranma sweated. "It's… it's like this… there's…" He suddenly gasped. "Oh my god, it's a one-eyed, one-horned flying purple people-eater!" he shouted, pointing behind them.

Their eyes flew wide open. "Kyaa!" Kirche screamed, panicking. "Where is it!"

"I don't know!" Louise shouted, looking all around them, her heart thundering in her chest. "What does it look like!"

Kirche dove for cover. "I don't know! Help us, darling!"

"Ranma!"

There was no answer.

"Oh my goodness, did it get him?" Kirche spoke, fearfully, peeking out from behind a tree.

"…he's not even here," Louise stated dumbly.

Sure enough, there was no sign of Ranma anywhere in the vicinity. Louise's face crunched into a scowl.

"He tricked us…" Louise glowered. "I'm going to kill him."

"You'll have to beat me to it, Louise," Kirche replied coolly. Her face was deeply set in annoyance. "He made fools of us."

"Agreed," came the reply. "Should we kill him slowly? Or painfully?"

"Why not both?"

"Both it is, then."

* * *

Ranma shivered as he ran the opposite way. "It feels like someone just walked on my grave."

"Rather unusual a distraction, Partner," Derflinger observed. "It seems like you don't want to talk about this morning."

"Why can't everyone be as smart as you, Derf?"

* * *

So much for returning to Louise's dorm. While he might not have a mental link that let him know what Louise was feeling, he could rather guess how well the temperamental strawberry blonde took to being tricked. Of course, he hoped Kirche wouldn't be as hard on him about it; he might need to spend a couple of nights at her place until Louise cooled off.

He took to hiding behind the library located in the southeast until classes let out for the day.

It was sort of a dead end, but given the fact that he couldn't read the language – a fact that he had pointed out to Louise at least once when she became annoyed with verbally answering his questions on magic and tried to leave him her old class notes to read – he hoped they wouldn't think to look for him there in between classes.

He still didn't have an answer to give Louise or Kirche about this morning. All the excitement made him forget to think of one. With a heavy sigh, he flipped up onto his head and folded his legs into the Lotus position.

"What are you doing, Partner?" Derflinger asked.

"Meditating."

"It certainly looks different from what you were teaching your Master."

"She's not my Master, just an unfortunate title. Besides, she's not ready for something this cool."

"If you insist. However, why would you need to meditate?"

Ranma groaned. "Derf, if I tell you, you're not to let one word of it go to anyone or anything as long as you exist."

"I'm solemnly bound by my word as a sentient magical sword."

"Good. Cause I'm tired of you asking." Ranma drew a breath. "Truth is…"

"Yes?"

"Truth is…."

After a minute of dead silence, Derflinger spoke. "What's wrong Partner?"

"Truth is, I don't wanna talk about it."

"Oh. Well, if you change your mind—"

"Not gonna happen."

"Oh."

"Anyway, be quiet so I can clear my head."

"I don't know, it looks rather painful standing on your head like that."

Ranma growled. "Derf…"

"That wasn't me, Partner."

"…then, who was it?"

"Me!"

From Ranma viewpoint, a small gray tabby bounced upside down.

"Did you apologize to your Master yet?"

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!"

Ranma ran. On his hands. While still upside down, legs folded in the Lotus position.

"Partner! What's wrong!"

He beat palms, running through a crowd of students in his bizarre position. Everyone got out of his way.

"C-c-c-c-c-c-c-!"

"What?"

He plowed right through someone unfortunately student that was too slow to move. He didn't bother to see where they landed or if they were all right.

"C-c-c-c-c-c-c-!"

"I don't understand, Partner. What's so terrifying?"

"C-c-c-c-y-ya-ya-ya-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta!"

"…I don't get it, Partner."

"This is funny!"

Ranma froze in midstride, which created the result of him skidding facefirst in the grass. He flopped out of his meditative pose, trying to get his bearings.

He found the small gray tabby had hitched a ride on his shirt. And everything went out to window.

"C-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-"

"What's the matter, Partner? It's someone's familiar."

"Mm hmm," the tabby purred. "My Master is a very good studier."

"C-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-"

"You should be a good familiar for your Master instead of making her cry."

"C-c-c-c-c-c-"

The tabby cocked its head to one side. "I think he's brokey."

"C-c-c-c-"

"What's the matter—"

A pair of hands scooped the cat off of Ranma's chest. His delirious eyes gratefully tracked the owner of those hands.

She was of slight build, with short blue hair, red rimmed glasses, and a white blouse with matching stockings beneath her black skirt. Her mantle clung to her slim form.

"Go," the girl spoke to the tabby.

"Aw…"

Ranma wasn't aware of anything else beyond that point. He had already fainted dead away.

* * *

She opened her eyes, bewildered. Did she just fall asleep in class? She had plenty of—

"M-Miss Vallière?"

Louise had looked up at the teacher on the lecture floor. He had backed up into the blackboard, his wand in hand. His eyes were wide, and staring at her like she sprouted another head.

The strawberry blonde frown at the scene. Strange… why did he look at her like that? If she fell asleep in the middle of his lecture about alchemy, she was rather sorry.

She slightly stretched in her seat, trying to covertly glance around the room a little embarrassed.

…okay, she started to realize something was wrong.

Every set of eyes were glued onto Louise. In fact, she had been given a wide berth.

She could feel her face grow hot. Did she do something… unladylike? Snore? Broke wind? …moan someone's name?

Her face began to burn at the thought. If Ranma was having dirty thoughts about someone again…

"Teacher, if it's fine with you, I'd like to escort Miss Vallière to her room. Clearly, she needs rest for today."

The benighted teacher made a weak gesture with one hand. "Be my guest. I'll send a water mage to look after her as well."

"What?" Louise spoke, puzzled. Rest? Water mage? What did she do anyway?

"Thank you, teacher," Kirche said with a curtsy. She slipped out of her seat and stepped down the stone stairs to Louise's desk.

"Kirche—" she started to demand.

"I'll tell you later," the redhead murmured to Louise as she leaned down to help her out of her seat. In a lower voice, she whispered, "Trust me on this."

She started to retort. However, the look on Kirche's face made her hold her tongue for the time being.

Kirche looked like she was spooked by something.

Reluctantly, Louise let herself be led out of the classroom. As soon as they were down the hall, Louise stopped walked and put her hands on her hips.

"All right, Kirche, what's going on?"

The redhead turned to look at her. Her eyes then glanced around. Finally, they settled back onto Louise.

"We're going to find Ranma."

Now Louise didn't know what to make of it. Usually, Kirche called him "darling." If she was calling him by name…

"Wait, what did he do?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. However, you started meowing like a cat in the classroom."

Louise looked at Kirche. Rather, through her. It took several seconds for her to finally open her mouth.

"What." It was the flattest tone she ever spoke in.

* * *

The sound of a page flipping caught his ear. Slowly Ranma groaned. He could feel dirt and grass in his mouth and spat out the disgusting mixture.

He looked around. The girl Kirche had introduced him to – Tabitha was her name, Ranma thought – was silently reading a thick-looking book beside him as she laid against an odd blue rock. She didn't seem to pay him any mind.

Far as he could tell, that was rather normal for her.

As he started to rise, memories came crashing back into his head. Ranma's blood ran cold as he last remembered… that… thing on his chest.

"Oh, no, I didn't…"

"Cat," Tabitha spoke without looking from her book.

And Ranma's heart fell into his feet, along with the rest of him as he slumped to his knees. "Oh, man…" He turned to Tabitha pleadingly. "Tell me I didn't wreck the place too much, okay? I don't want Louise getting into trouble or anything because of me."

This time Tabitha looked up from the book she was reading. "Explain," she said.

"Er, um…. Well, you see, whenever… that happens, I don't know what I'm doing, so, yeah, I try to avoid c-c-those little things. I… well, it was all my stupid Pop's idea anyway." He glowered as he folded his arms. "Ultimate fighting secret my ass; all it did is left me with a stupid fear of c-c-cats."

The small girl stared at Ranma blandly. He sighed as she didn't say anything. "Look, I don't care if you think I'm some kind of weirdo, but—"

"Fainted."

"Huh?"

She pointed at him. "Fainted."

Ranma blinked at that, dumbstruck. "Fainted?"

She nodded slowly.

He pointed at himself. "_I_ fainted?"

Again, she nodded.

His right eye twitched. "Ranma Saotome does not faint!"

"Fainted."

He fell over on his face.

Tabitha resumed her book reading.

He sat up suddenly. "Wait a second, if I only just… well, that means… n-nothing happened right?"

Tabitha didn't respond, only flip to the next page of her book.

"Th-then, that means no one knows about it!" Ranma chuckled. "I'm safe…"

"Secret."

And Ranma sweated.

He had just blabbed the whole thing to Tabitha.

He looked at the girl worriedly. Tabitha paused to look at him for a few moments. She closed the book, her pinky in place of the page she was last reading.

"Promise."

"Pr-promise?"

"Promise."

Ranma looked to his right, then to his left. "Er, um, okay… So, you're not going to tell, you know, Kirche, either?"

She shook her head.

Ranma held his pounding heart. "Oh, good. Thanks, Tabitha. You are a lifesaver."

She nodded, started to open up her book again.

"You ever need anything, just say the word."

The girl paused at that. She looked back at him. He blinked once.

"Y-yeah, really." He folded his arms, nodding his assertion. "I mean it. Anything at all. Just let me know, okay?"

Tabitha cocked her head slightly. A tiny smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"Thank you."

Ranma observed her as she started to open her book again. "You know, you're a lot cuter when you smile."

The book hung in its half-opened state. Tabitha's eyes did not see it.

Ranma had already kicked back against the blue rock he was sharing with Tabitha, hands behind his head as he looked up at the sky. His mind wandered off on its own, taking in what had happened earlier. At least he didn't have to worry too much about his secret getting out.

Of course, he needed to avoid that talking beast. Made his skin crawl just thinking about it.

He didn't notice Tabitha taking a long glance at him again before she resumed her reading.

* * *

"Where is that jerk?" Louise muttered.

"If we knew that, we wouldn't be looking for him," Kirche spoke.

They were leaving the northern portion of the Academy, where classes were held, but they didn't have a starting point. Last they saw him, he was behind the dining hall in the southwest.

"He couldn't have just left the grounds. So, where would he be?"

Kirche placed a finger to her chin. "He wouldn't be hiding near us, so, we can cross out the classrooms in the north."

"And I strongly doubt he'd return to my room," Louise grumbled. Why did he have to make her life so difficult?

"Probably not in the dorms, then," Kirche spoke. Well, that leaves the dining hall, the central tower and the library."

"Ranma can't read our language, so let's cross out the southeast."

Kirche nodded to that. Then paused.

"What?" Louise asked, seeing the hesitation.

After a moment, she shook her head. "No, he's probably doing more of his training." She blushed a bit at that, remembering the last time she saw him working out. Those abs…

Louise gave Kirche a flat look. "Will you quit daydreaming and help me find him?"

Kirche reluctantly let go of her thoughts. "Hmm… that really only leaves the kitchen and Osmond's office, then."

"Knowing him, he's probably annoying the headmaster now about Ragdorian Lake."

"Sounds like a good a place as any to start."

* * *

Ranma cricked his neck as he strolled towards the central tower. He wondered if the old man was in his office. He really wanted to go to Ragdorian Lake and hopefully get answers for his curse. And since Louise and Kirche were in class at the moment, now was the best time to move around.

"There he is!"

Ranma almost choked as he saw Louise thrust a finger at him.

"Stop right there, Ranma!" the pinkette shouted.

"Crap!" He turned and ran. Why were they out here at this time of the day!

"Darling, wait!"

Oh, hell no! He was not going to tell them if he didn't have to. And he didn't have to!

* * *

"Why the hell does he keep running!" Louise shouted, aggravated. Then she turned on Kirche, who had her wand drawn. "And how did you miss him! I thought you were going to Levitate him off the ground we could get some answers!"

Kirche looked at her wand, befuddled. That was weird. The plan was to find Ranma, sneak up on him, if possible, then Levitate him off the ground and make him talk. She clearly had him in her sights, aimed for the center of his back. He didn't see her, so there was no way he could have just dodged the spell.

But it had no effect on him?

* * *

"Hmm…"

"What's up?" Ranma asked, risking a glance at the sword on his back.

"I don't remember now."

The martial artist shook his head. Why did he have a sword with Alzheimer's? "Are they still behind us?"

"They stopped for some reason."

"Good. Back to the hiding place."

* * *

"This way?"

"I'm not a mind reader, Kirche!"

"Can't you just… feel him when we get closer?"

"I don't know!"

Kirche swore. "Fine, let's just go inside the library, then."

Louise huffed as she didn't have any better idea. Reluctantly, she followed the redhead into the library.

Meanwhile, Ranma peered from behind a tree located across from the library. He probably should get going, maybe even hide in Louise's dorm for a while; after running into him at the central tower, she wouldn't expect him to be there. Of course, he'd only be able to breathe for a couple of hours; he still had to keep moving until he either had a good story to tell them, or they gave up on questioning him. Given their dedication, it didn't look like "giving up" would be occurring anytime soon.

=MEOW=

"Holy!" Ranma shot out from behind the tree. C-c-cat! He looked around frantically. Where was it?

=MEOW=

Behind! He spun in place, leaping backward.

There was nothing there? Ranma blinked at the empty space.

Was he just imagining things?

=MEOW=

=MEOW=

=MEOW=

"GAAAAHH!" Those hideous sounds! There were coming at him from all sides! Where? Where! Why couldn't he see them!

=MEOW=

=MEOW= =MEOW=

=MEOW= =MEOW= =MEOW=

=MEOW= =MEOW= =MEOW= =MEOW=

Ranma dropped to his knees, instinctively covering his head. Stop it! Get away! Help me!

More of those calls. Louder. Closer. He could feel their breaths on him. Their scent in his nose. The wide open field shrunk into a tiny black hole. The screams. The yowls. The pain. The pain! The claws! Help me! Help me! Help—

And then, it all went quiet. Strainingly silent.

* * *

"GAAAAHH!"

Kirche's head snapped up at the scream.

"Darling?"

They had only just gotten inside the library with the plan to split up and comb through it in their search for Ranma when she heard it. Now, it might not be a necessity.

"Louise! He's outside, I'm certain of it!" she fired off as she started to run back out the door.

Out in front of the entrance, as the heavy oaken doors swung open, Kirche found the pigtailed martial artist jumping around. Only this wasn't like anything she had seen from him before.

His eyes were wide with fright, jumpier and skittish than a rabbit. He screamed again as he fell down to his knees, covered up his head as if trying to fend off something.

"What's going on with you, darling?" She started to go for him, then thought better to ask Louise. Maybe the Vallière had a better idea—

Wait a second, where was Louise? She should have been right behind her. Instead, Kirche stood alone.

She looked over her shoulder through the still-open doors to see the familiar mane of pink still within the reception area. What was she doing? Shouldn't she be concerned about Ranma?

With a quick glance at Ranma, Kirche hastily walked back into the library and over to Louise, annoyed.

"Louise! Didn't you hear me? Ranma's right outside the library!"

Louise did not react to that.

"Something's definitely wrong with him! Why are you standing around?"

Louise did not respond at all.

"Vallière! What's wrong with you!" She grabbed the girl by the shoulder.

Louise was shivering all over like she was in the middle of a snowstorm without clothes. Her eyes stared at nothing.

"Louise?"

There was no sign that she heard her at all. Her eyes did not react to her waving a hand in front of her face. It was like nothing existed for her.

Was she feeling whatever was happening to Ranma? What was it? It didn't seem anything like when Louise was caught up in perpetual lust.

Louise suddenly slumped to her knees. Kirche had grabbed the girl, fear grasping her heart. This didn't make sense!

"Hang on, Louise!" she cried out, drawing attention from the librarian and other patrons within earshot.

* * *

"Wow, that really worked," the first Defender said, amazed, as they watched Ranma huddle up on himself.

"Naturally," the second said smugly. "A little wind magic, and you can make it sound like anyone or anything."

"Who would have thought such a tough guy like him was scared stupid of little kitty cats?" the third chuckled.

It was as if Brimir was smiling upon the Noble Defenders of Their Lady. One of their numbers had been unfortunately run over by Ranma earlier in the afternoon while conspiring with the other two on a plan to somehow discredit the commoner. It was only by sheer luck one of them happened to have seen a female student scoop off the kitten that had clung to his shirt and send it away. However, they couldn't have missed Ranma fainting.

They just had to know why.

And sure enough, they were not disappointed, though they did freak out for a second when the girl's familiar, a huge dragon, had flown overhead. However, a moment of extreme courage – or leg-tripping, it was rather hard to tell in the heat of things – later, they learned of the commoner's secret.

He had a fear of cats.

Cats!

Immediately, they devised a plan. Humiliate the commoner the way he had humiliated them. By using wind magic, they could emulate the sound of a cat and wrap it around his head until that was all he could hear. Somehow, they would have to get Kirche to witness the event and just tell her about his silly weakness. There was no way she could stomach someone that was scared of a little pussy cat.

End result – she'd dump the commoner faster than a hot coal and things would return to normal.

Amazingly, everything fell into place for them like dominoes. They couldn't ask for a better set up, as Kirche had chased the commoner back to the library, where the Noble Defenders were designing their plan. Seeing that he was hiding from her, they struck.

The wind user was particularly thrilled to initiate the spell, as he still burned from having his wand stolen from him. This was payback and a half. He took great pleasure in twisting the spell around the commoner's head until he stopped moving and began to gibber stupidly.

"So now what?" one Defender asked.

The wind user grinned maliciously."Payback for that stunt earlier."

The others nodded. That was a tense time for them all; he definitely needed to suffer some of that himself.

The wind user boldly approached the near catatonic commoner, while other two followed, smugness all around.

"What's the matter, 'fraidy cat? Cat has your tongue? A little pussy too much for you?"

The commoner continued to gibber incoherently.

"Time for you to learn your place, commoner."

The wind user chambered his foot back to deliver a swift kick to the commoner's face.

The commoner opened his mouth.

* * *

Louise stopped shivering. Kirche breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank goodness! For a moment, I was really worried about you."

Louise opened her mouth.

* * *

The foot swept up in an arc, on a collision course for Ranma's face.

"MREOW…"

* * *

"MYARR…"

Kirche blinked.

"Louise?"

Louise's eyes shifted up at Kirche. Kirche stared blankly at them.

"Louise?"

* * *

"GYAARGH!"

Pandemonium.

Total chaos descended onto the southeastern section like deathknights on a raid through a sleepy village.

Students and teachers nearby came running to see two students dragging a third. Their clothes were shredded to literal ribbons. The dragged student was bleeding profusely from his leg.

"He's gone mad! Holy shit, that commoner's gone mad!"

Just as the witnesses tried to make sense of what was going on, the front doors of the library flew open to reveal…

"KYAAAA!"

A half naked Kirche running for her life. Her clothes were in tatters, particularly her blouse. One could see a bra strap flapping uselessly in the breeze. Her wand had been chopped apart, the haft of it clutched in a death grip.

Kirche screamed at the top of her lungs. "For the love of Brimir, somebody stop her! She's gone insane!"

As people goggled at the sight, they almost missed the pink blur that shot out after her. The blur came screeching to a halt, looking around.

"Hey, isn't that Louise the Zero?" someone hesitantly spoke.

Indeed it was. Except she looked a lot more feral, strawberry blonde hair tossed about in a wild mess. She crawled on all fours like an animal, the grass and earth beneath her hands and feet ripping apart as though plowed with a stiff rake. Her head darted to and fro like a caged animal. She caught sight of Kirche hiding behind a tree and hissed menacingly, baring her small teeth.

"Wh~~~~y!" the Germanian screamed as she ran like hell itself was about the devour her. Louise raced after her on all fours, tearing up earth in her wake.

"GYAAAA!"

Attention was inexplicably drawn back to the three students there were a shredded, bloody mess. Just beyond them stalked the commoner in red. His pigtail braid stuck up like a pissed-off creature as he similarly hissed at the three. Every step sundered the soil beneath his hands and feet.

Everyone not the three shredded-up students backed up, giving them all the room they needed. This was way too weird for them

One of the uninjured three turned to the other, "Holy hell! What are we going to do?"

"Run! For the love of the Founder, run!"

They ran. Sluggishly, since they were carrying a third.

So they dumped him as one and instantly gained at least twice their speed.

Not that it helped; Ranma pounced right at them like a blazing missile.

The fallen student cringed and covered up. "AAAAAAAAHH!"

"Iron Shield!"

A huge slab of earth solidified into iron shot up between Ranma and the three students. Ranma slammed into the wall facefirst with a loud bang and bounced off.

"What the hell is going on?" a teacher cried out, scowling at the bedlam.

The bleeding student cried out. "Th-th-that commoner! He—he—he just went mad and, and… and attacked us for no reason!"

Before the teacher could properly address the situation, an awful rending sound squealed through his and everyone else's ears. In front of his eyes, the wall of iron had been disassembled into huge chunks of pigtail-curly metal.

"MWEO~R!" Ranma yowled. He did not seem amused.

The teacher's face turned blue. "Oh, sweet Brimir…"

And another mage decided it was high time to practice the fine art of running for your life.

* * *

Kirche had no idea what just happened. One moment, Louise was shaking like a leaf. The next, she was _clawing_ at her like an angry cat. She even yowled like one and chased after her on all fours.

The scary thing was, she wasn't even aware of Louise touching her clothes. They just exploded into ribbons. Not even her wand was safe, as it, too, met a grisly death by clawing.

Holy Founder, what had gotten into that girl? It was like she really thought she was a cat!

Louise had sprung past Kirche in one leap, cutting her off in her run. Trying to stop suddenly, Kirche ended up taking a spill, flipping head over heels.

She flopped facefirst onto the ground with an "ow!" as her body protested such rough handling. Dazed, Kirche could just look up to see Louise hissing at her once again and reared back, one hand curled up like a cat's paw.

Maybe I shouldn't have given her such a hard time, she thought, her heart skipping beats.

=WHAM=

Louise was suddenly flattened by an invisible force. She squealed on impact and did not move afterwards.

Kirche blinked at the sight. Just beyond Louise's unconscious form, she saw Tabitha lower her staff.

"Oh, thank you, Founder," Kirche breathed in relief, smiling stupidly despite herself.

"Trouble."

She grunted, trying to prop herself up on her elbows. "Yeah, I know."

"MEOW?"

Kirche froze, her eyes the only things that moved in the direction of the meow.

Ranma, crawling on all fours like Louise, had approached the two, his head cocked to one side.

"What is this?" Kirche spoke rather alarmed. "Why's he acting like a cat, too?"

Tabitha glanced at her, then at the catlike Ranma. She lowered her staff.

"Kitty."

And Kirche bore witness to the most bizarre sight she had ever seen her friend involved in.

Tabitha lowered herself to one knee and held out her hand. Ranma meowed happily and instantly bowled the small girl over. Fear rose in Kirche's throat, only to abate as she found Ranma settled upon the girl's lap like a really big housecat. He mewled happily.

She couldn't quite wrap her mind around the sight. The catlike Ranma suddenly kissing a surprised Tabitha, though…

Her frayed sanity almost snapped. "Wh-wh-why the hell is he kissing you!"

Tabitha's cheeks were bright red. "Secret," she spoke.

"Secret my ass! What is this!"

Tabitha pulled out a book as Ranma curled up even moreso in her lap. "Secret."

"Tabitha! Are you trying to steal my darling!"

"Secret."

"Arrgh! I don't believe this!"

* * *

Osmond sat at his desk extremely grim-faced.

Before him sat Ranma, Louise, Kirche and Tabitha.

Tabitha was mostly bland, expression-wise. Kirche, having gotten a new wardrobe, was still slightly crossed, eyeing Tabitha sourly from time to time as she tapped her foot impatiently. Louise was deeply shamefaced, having been told what she had been doing while she had gone "cat."

And Ranma… he just palmed his face with both hands. The jig was up. Oh, was it so up…

"Is there something you'd like to share with us, familiar?"

For the first time since coming to this world, Ranma did not protest being addressed as familiar. Instead he just heaved a deep sigh. "Okay, Old Man, it's like this... My father wanted to teach me this supposedly unbeatable technique called the Cat Fist when I was six. The training goes like this…"

* * *

When they left the room, Kirche was in tears. Louise was paler than a ghost. Tabitha constantly looked at Ranma, concern written all over her face.

"That's… a rather interesting tale, Partner," Derflinger spoke. "Though I don't think the headmaster can take another one of your stories. He seemed rather unwell afterwards."

Ranma sighed. "And now you know why I didn't want to talk about it."

* * *

There was a notice delivered to all students.

Tristain's Academy of Magic's Zero Tolerance Policy

Any student caught antagonizing anyone's familiar will be immediately expelled, effective immediately. Also, all feline familiars must be left in their owners' dorm rooms. No exceptions.

Signed,

Headmaster Osmond and the Staff of Tristain's Academy of Magic

No one questioned it, albeit, the rumor mill ran amok with wildly diverging explanations at reasons.

* * *

"How did it end up like this?"

"…"

"'We'll use wind to make it sound like cats around him! He'll be totally paralyzed with fear!' What a _brilliant_ concept…"

"Oh, shut up."

"Hey, I paid for your reagent. You owe me."

"That's to make up for abandoning me to that- that- I don't what the hell that was!"

"Well, it doesn't matter. After all, we won't be seeing him again."

A collective sigh.

"Yeah," the three chorused as the gates to Tristain's Academy shut behind them, their belongings packed up in chests.

The Noble Defenders of Their Lady quietly decided to disband on that note. After all, it was rather hard to defend their lady when expelled from the grounds that she walked on.

Damned commoner… It was all his fault!

* * *

"So, you really have no idea what happened?" Louise asked as the group was situated in her dorm room, sitting on her bed. Her face was pink from embarrassment as she cradled a glass of water in hand gingerly.

Ranma, who was lying on his back at the foot of the bed, replied, "None at all. When it happens, I usually wake up in someone's lap, or, like today, with a gaggle of wands pointed at me."

"Speaking of which," Kirche spoke, sitting beside Tabitha on one side of the bed. "Why did you kiss Tabitha?"

Ranma froze. "Um, I dunno. It sort of happens. I don't know anything that happens when I'm like that, remember?"

Kirche sighed, expressly annoyed by the response. "And what's this about a secret?"

He made a face. "Um, well, she… kinda helped me out earlier. That's all."

Kirche pouted. "Do you… like… Tabitha?"

Ranma opened his mouth, let it hang there for a minute. "What?" was the best he could come up with.

"W-well," Kirche began, slowly twisting her mouth as if fishing out words. "I mean… you know… if… Tabitha…" Her face took on a stubborn blush ash she avoid eye contact. "I'm not one to… steal other people's treasures. So…" she coughed into her hand. "Hmm?"

Ranma had to sit up, largely because he didn't understand a word of what she just said. Louise slowly goggled at the suddenly reticent Kirche. Tabitha just stared at Kirche before she started to giggle.

Ranma looked from Kirche, who was stubbornly not looking at anyone, to the giggling quiet girl.

"Oh, my Founder, you're jealous," Louise stated as the realization slammed into her like Tabitha's Air Hammer. "Oh, my Founder…"

"Shut up," Kirche growled. "I'm… just…"

Louise began laughing, almost spilling water all over the bed. "Oh, my Founder! I never thought I'd see the day! You, jealous!"

Kirche continued to weather the laughter, grumbling, even as Tabitha hugged her arm gently.

"Misunderstanding," she spoke.

And like a man at the bottom of a well thrown a line of rope, Kirche's face immediately lit up. "Really? Oh, thank you Founder! I really didn't want to give him up…"

Ranma continued looking from the renewed Kirche, to the laughing Louise and finally the smiling Tabitha. Life, why was it so strange and weird to him? All he wanted was a cure to his curse. Instead, he got this…

Unwillingly, Ranma found himself smiling. It wasn't really that bad, he admitted to himself.

"Well, now that's settled, let's see how it looks!"

Ranma frowned, seeing Kirche looking at him expectantly. "How what looks?"

"You know, that."

"…no I don't, and I'm starting to get the feeling that I should run again."

"I'm not going through that again!" Louise roared, her face on fire. "Once was bad enough!"

Kirche was only too quick to agree. "Very much so, but let's see how you look now that you've been… kissing Tabitha."

The pieces fell into place, and Ranma started to move off the bed. "O~h no, we're not going through this again."

"Come on, please, darling? I'm sure she'd like to see it, too."

Tabitha regarded Kirche oddly.

"Uh-uh! No way! I've already got too many people knowing about that as it is. There's no way I'm going to—"

=SPLASH=

A dripping wet Ranma-Tabitha glared at Louise who now held an empty glass.

"I still haven't forgiven you for running away from me so many times today," she sniffed disdainfully.

He ran his fingers through his now-blue hair, splitting his bangs in half as he flicked water droplets every which way. "Fine, now you've seen it. Change me back."

"Oh, it's so cute!" Kirche beamed as she took the opportunity. "Especially with the long braid here! I wondered how you'd look with longer hair, Tabitha. I know short hair is rather cute on you but…"

Kirche had turned to face her friend, and her words trailed off. "Tabitha?"

Ranma-Tabitha and Louise both looked at the slight girl. Who stared longingly at Ranma's cursed form.

"Er, what?" Ranma-Tabitha spoke, his face starting to warm at the dedicated attention.

"H-hair."

Ranma-Tabitha didn't understand. Kirche, however, did and carefully undid the blue braid.

"Whoa, hey, don't do that!"

"Calm down, I'll tie it back..."

Ranma-Tabitha started to open his mouth, then shut it. "Just… hurry up. And tie it up before you change me back."

"Fussy…"

Once undone, Kirche gave Ranma's cursed blue hair a quick ruffling, shaking it as straight as she could get it with her fingers.

Tabitha continued to gaze upon Ranma-Tabitha. Who started to sweat. "Um, seriously, what?"

Slowly, painstakingly, Tabitha crawled off Louise's bed and stood before his cursed form.

"What's going on?" Louise wondered aloud.

Kirche shrugged. "I don't know."

Ranma-Tabitha fidgeted in place. "Um, Tabitha?"

The small blue-haired girl leaned forward and hugged his cursed form around the middle.

His eyes went wide, as did Kirche's and Louise's.

"Wh-what is this?" Louise started, panic in her face. Not _another_ girl trying to seduce Ranma!

Kirche frowned as she could feel her heart twinge at the sight. She bit her lip to keep from speaking.

Ranma-Tabitha looked on helpless to say or do anything about the situation. He just hoped she wasn't going to try and seduce him while he was looking like her.

"Mother," the real Tabitha whispered softly, pressing her face into the martial artist's shirt.

* * *

AN: So that's the end of this arc. The next arc will have some more serious elements involved, and a greater divergence from ZnT's canon as it were. Meanwhile, I won't be posting a new Zero Interface chapter for the next week so I can build up more chapters for later posting (only just started with Chapter Ten's draft). I'm excited with the new approach I'm taking with my writing, so if possible, I'd like to continue the process.

To preempt one potential question that might crop up, the fact that Louise could enter Cat Fist, despite not having a fear of cats is, in fact, a _bad_ sign. There's something else going on, but will anyone realize it before it comes to pass?

You'll have to stay tuned to find out.

In the meanwhile, here's an omake that answers the question of what would have happened if Louise didn't enter Cat Fist, but something much more terrifying.

* * *

**Zero Interface  
**Omake One

She opened her eyes, bewildered. Did she just fall asleep in class? She had plenty of—

"M-Miss Vallière?"

Louise had looked up at the teacher on the lecture floor. He had backed up into the blackboard, his wand in hand. Sweat ran down his face, his eyes wide, pupils dilated. At his feet, there was a puddle of yellowish water. He shivered and flinched whenever he looked at her.

Louise stared blankly at the instructor. What was his problem?

A glance off to her left made her blink oddly. Why was the classroom door blown apart? And where was everyone? There was no one sitting at their desks, save her.

"Um, teacher—"

"Please don't hurt me…" he whimpered in a frightened voice. Tears rolled down his face.

…okay, she started to realize something was wrong.

"Don't break the rules," someone whispered, drawing Louise's attention to the back of the classroom.

"Gyah! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" a student, who was _thrown_ out from the mass huddling of students present there, cried and begged on hands and knees. "Please don't punish me! I'll be obedient! I swear!"

Louise had no idea what he was going on about, and it was starting to frighten her.

Just then, she saw Malicorne lying on the floor. The chubby student was blackened from head to foot, clothes ripped apart. Occasionally, one of his limbs would twitch like a dying insect.

"Malicorne, what happened to you?"

"L…Louise?"

Again, her eyes were turned back to the clump of students folding in on itself to see Kirche, doe-eyed and frightened, cautiously drag herself free from the herd. Several males tried to prevent this, many of them openly weeping and moaning her name as if she was about to be placed on the executioner's block.

Oddly enough, her blouse was completely buttoned, unlike how it was normally displayed.

"Kirche, what's going on?"

"T-teacher, if it's fine with you, I'd like to escort Miss Vallière to her room. Clearly, she needs rest for today."

The terrified teacher shuddered. "For the love of the Founder, please! Do whatever you want!"

Dumbstruck, Louise let herself be dragged out of the classroom. Halfway down the hall, she stopped walked, bringing Kirche to a sudden halt.

"What in the name of Brimir is going on?"

"…y-you _are_ Louise, right?"

The question made her hesitate. Was she Louise? "Of course I am! Who do you think I am?"

"I don't know. For a few minutes…"

The growing apprehension was driving her crazy. "Just spit it out. What is going on?"

"Honestly, I don't know. We were having class as usual. The teacher called on you to answer a question, and then… you froze up. Next thing we know, you started shouting about rules, and when Malicorne called you Z…" Kirche caught herself. "…your nickname… well, you sort of blew him up."

"…hah."

"Repeatedly."

"…"

"You were bouncing him up and down with explosions, saying rulebreakers must be punished."

Sweat rolled down Louise's face and neck. "I did what."

Kirche nodded absently, wiping her own forehead with a handkerchief. "When the students tried to run, you blew up the classroom doors, and demanded that everyone follows the rules. Sit in your seats, be quiet…" Kirche placed a hand on her blouse. "…follow dress code. You were a tiny terror of rules and regulations."

Louise's knees buckled under her and she fell to the ground.

"L-Louise?"

"Oh, we have to find Ranma…"

"Huh? Darling? Why him?"

Louise shuddered, holding herself. "Because somehow, some way, he made me into a lesser version of my mother…"

Kirche's face scrunched up in confusion. "...what kind of mother do you have?"

Louise made a small come hither motion with her hand. Kirche lowered herself to one knee and Louise whispered something into her ear.

Kirche gaped at her in disbelief. "_She's_ your mother?"

Louise nodded sadly.

"…I'm so sorry. I'll never tease you again, honest. Was it… rough growing up with her?"

Louise buried her face in her hands. She didn't know what was worse: turning into a mini-version of her mother, or her most hated enemy Kirche sympathizing with her about being the daughter of Karin the Heavy Wind.


	8. Flood

**Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi. Familiar of Zero (Zero no Tsukaima) is owned by Noboru Yamaguchi. All rights reserved.**

**Zero Interface  
**Chapter 8  
Flood

Normalcy returned like a long-lost friend within the following week. Well, as normal as things could be in a magic-based world. The sun shone, the birds sang, and the students –

=BOOM=

– Correction, _Louise_ worked on her magical studies.

"This is stupid!" the strawberry-blonde roared, stomping her feet in the small clearing in the middle of the forest outside of Tristain. She thrust a hand at the cropping of rocks that played host to what used to be a wine bottle. At the current, it was little more than glittery shards of glass. "Why are we out here blowing up wine bottles!"

Ranma stood by, arms folded up. "We're just working on things. Like your aim."

Kirche chuckled lightly, sitting on the grass, facing a fine white tablecloth spread out. In the center of the tablecloth sat a woven wicker basket. "You should probably work on getting her to do something a bit more useful than that. Like being quiet and minding her own business."

"He _is_ my business!" Louise snapped, jabbing a thumb at Ranma, who didn't seemed bothered by the comment.

Tabitha sometimes read a book, sometimes watched Louise aim spells and get an inevitable explosion.

The quartet had made a late afternoon picnic ride outside of the Academy. Well, really, it was a training trip Ranma had set up for Louise so as to not get into major trouble like they did before. However, Kirche had caught wind of the situation and convinced Tabitha to take them all out into the forest on her familiar Sylphid.

Ranma had to admit – dragons were pretty cool. He wished he could fly like that himself. To just sail through the air, catching rides on updrafts, free of little things like gravity… that would be pretty awesome.

Of course, the whole time on the outing Kirche had kept especially close to him. Ever since the Cat Fist incident, she had became more possessive of his time, seeking to have a number of private moments with him, with many of them under the guise of seeing something in her room.

Truth be told… it was starting to get annoying.

Louise's approach to "maintaining her sanity," as she liked to call it, only served to exacerbate the situation to the point of him dreading what would happen whenever Kirche so much as bats an eye his direction.

While he liked the two girls well enough, they were really starting to wear on his nerves.

And heaven forbid if he turns to, if not the most rational, then, at least, the very undemanding, Tabitha about anything. Louise interfered as normal. Kirche on the other hand… well, she got weird for a moment. Once separated from the quiet mage, Kirche wouldn't actively approach him for a few minutes until she seemed to get some sort of sign from him. Then she would try to drag him up to her room to show him something.

Which had the effect of having Louise inevitably appearing at some point between their current location and Kirche's destination.

And thus, the cycle began anew, completely annoying him on both ends.

Thankfully, it hadn't started up today. Well, not yet. They seemed to be content to snipe at each other at the moment.

Something Ranma was going to have to interrupt, or else, the entire point of today would have been wasted.

"Normally, I wouldn't really suggest a scattershot approach," Ranma began. "But the way I'm understanding it, once you wake up the Void in you, you shouldn't have a whole lot of trouble with spells themselves, so we're going to work on your aim in the meanwhile." He smirked. "Because it sucks. I mean, how did you miss a thirty-five foot tall golem?"

Louise stewed in anger, trying to burn holes through Ranma with her eyes alone. "I was aiming for its head," she ground out. "And the mage that was riding on it."

"And that's why you missed," Ranma replied, matter-of-factly. "It's way too small a target for you to hit, especially if it's moving. You should have just gone for the body. Bigger target to hit, harder for it to dodge your attacks."

Louise pouted. "But that wouldn't have stopped Fouquet…"

He could understand what she was thinking. And it would have been the best tactic. Cut off the head, stop the body. But still, it wasn't something anyone just did. Not without a lot of practice beforehand. And before that, she needed to work on the basics. Which meant learning how to successfully aim first before headshotting anything.

"Work your way up to that. So stop complaining and start practicing."

"What do you think I've been doing! I'm been practicing for so long, my willpower's almost gone!"

Ranma quirked his mouth. She really should have agreed to be weighted down and chased around the Academy by Flame. That would increase anybody's willpower, he was certain.

"Partner, looks like we have company," Derflinger spoke up suddenly. "Orcs."

Ranma looked over his shoulder at Derflinger as the alarmed girls quickly stood up, wands drawn.

"Orcs?" he asked, puzzled. "What're those?"

"That," Kirche replied, pointing ahead of him.

He turned his head to look at what Kirche was showing.

Piggish. Thick-bodied and tall. Ugly as sin.

There were at least seven such orcs present, making a circle around the group. Dressed in straps of leather armor with bones hanging from their necks like macabre jewelry, they carried intimidating, if somewhat primitive, weapons – stone axes smeared with blood and heavy clubs, spiked with metal and marred similarly like the axes. Viscous drool dripped from jagged tusks and their mouths, their rancid stench saturating the air.

"Geh, how did they surround us?" Kirche muttered with a wrinkle of her nose, instinctively drawing back-to-back with everyone. "We should have smelled them coming from a mile away!"

"Wind," Tabitha offered, lining up alongside her.

Kirche frowned. They somehow remained downwind of them… either they're far too clever, or they got lucky. No matter how you sliced it, though, it wasn't good for them. Especially since Louise couldn't contribute to the fight, having exhausted whatever magic she was throwing out.

More shadows moved, revealing more orcs. At least twelve to fourteen present.

Louise stiffened, backing up more by fear. "Wh-what is this? Did we stumble onto a nest of them?"

"There's a good chance we disturbed a nearby one," Derflinger replied. "It's entirely possible we drew their attention with the results of your target practice."

"Ugh," Louise groaned.

Ranma, having taken the defensive alongside Louise, frowned. "Okay, so how about we just leave and go elsewhere?"

"Dangerous," Tabitha spoke, eyes on the swarming orcs.

"Unfortunately, she's right, Partner" Derflinger added. "Due to the clearing's small opening and the surrounding orcs, this girl's familiar would be hard-pressed to get everyone out before getting attacked. There's not enough room to pull it off safely."

Kirche followed up. "And if we used magic to fly off, Darling, we'll end up leaving you and Louise behind."

"Guess that means we'll need to cut right through them, then," Ranma summed up as he cracked his knuckles. "I'm good for that."

"Partner—"

The first of many orcs lunged for Kirche, squealing out a war cry as it hefted its large club to smash her to bits.

The redheaded mage let loose a volley of flames from the tip of her wand, slamming into the swinish monster. Its shrieks of pain were drowned out by the ensuing squeals of orcish rage as they descended upon the group.

Daggers of ice formulated around Tabitha. With a gesture, they flew like sparrows, lancing through orcish flesh forcefully. Several attackers went sprawling backwards, bleeding severely from their wounds.

Meanwhile, Ranma had already launched himself into the thick of things, dodging blows and making a mockery of the beast-men. One orc, catching at Ranma's back, swung its mighty club in an arc, intent on hammering the pesky nail sticking up.

Only to miss.

"Almost," Ranma comment mildly from atop of the orc's head. One chop between its eyes, and down the beast-man went, with Ranma already flipping towards another one, only to kick off its face (and knocking out another orc) and shoot himself back to the circle to defend Louise.

"You all right?" Ranma asked the pinkette as Kirche set another orc ablaze.

"I'm fine!" she snapped, shamed by the situation. Of all the times to run out of magic!

He shrugged her outburst off. "'Kay… shout if you need me." And off he went, batting away an axe-wilding orc's tool of choice to flip it onto its head, then drive a powerful back kick into another orc.

"BWE~~E!"

Ranma winced in empathy. "Err… Sorry, buddy. I didn't know you had those there like regular guys… I'll aim higher next time, promise."

Even Louise had to press her legs together in sympathy. She may not be a guy herself, but… wow… It almost made her feel sorry for the orc that fell over in a shivering, curled-up ball.

Almost.

* * *

"Mighty unusual tactic you have there, Partner," Derflinger commented as the party left the woods on the back of Sylphid. The firefight only lasted for a few minutes, with all orcs present defeated and left behind on-site.

"I've been training in Anything Goes School of Marital Arts since I was two," Ranma said easily. "It was nothing."

"Admittedly, I sometimes feel like a fifth wheel when I'm with you Partner. However, I rarely see anyone spare orcs like you."

"Eh?" Kirche glanced over her shoulder at that comment, as did Louise. "You _spared_ orcs?" she asked in disbelief.

Ranma perked a brow. "Well, yeah. I mean, they weren't really much of a threat to me or anything. Why?"

She simply stared at him, her look shifting to cold and flat. "You let baby-murderers go on to kill more innocent children at a later date, that's why." She turned away sharply, shoulders stiff.

Ranma blinked at the sudden coldness from Kirche. "Baby-murderers?"

Louise nodded. "Orcs typically raid small villages, kill the adults, then cook and eat the children. They wear their bones around their necks as macabre jewelry."

Derflinger agreed. "It's odd you would show mercy to such creatures. Most don't hesitate to slay them indiscriminately."

Ranma just sat there. His eyes did not blink.

Louise tilted her head suddenly. "Wait, you didn't know?"

There was no response, just blank staring.

"Ranma?"

"…"

"Ranma," she spoke, reaching behind her to poke him. "Say some—"

He fell off of Sylphid from the light contact, making Louise's eyes bulge out.

"RANMA!"

* * *

"I'm an idiot," Ranma droned on repeatedly in a monotone as he stood in Louise's room, mechanically thumping his forehead against the wall he was facing.

"D-Darling, it's fine," Kirche tried to speak in her best cooing voice as she struggled to hold him and keep him from knocking himself out. Or the wall.

"It's okay… It was just a mistake. We took care of it. You didn't know…"

"I'm an idiot." =THUMP= =THUMP= =THUMP=

Kirche threw a frantic glance at Louise, who was flopped on her bed face-first, still wearing her uniform, shoes and stockings. "Louise, do something!"

"Don't have the will to care," she droned in a sad, tired voice that was muffled by her bed covers. "Let him do what he wants."

"Louise!"

"I'm an idiot." =THUMP= =THUMP= =THUMP=

"Depressing," Tabitha spoke with a look of indecision, watching Ranma continue his slow headbanging bout of devastation.

"I'm an idiot." =THUMP= =THUMP= =THUMP=

"Dar~ling!"

* * *

"Zzz…"

"Miss Vallière!"

"Mm, huh?"

Most of the students in the classroom snickered as Louise groggily raised her head and propped it up on her elbow. Dark bags hung under her eyes. "Yeah, Mrs. Chevreuse…?" she replied with a yawn.

The students snickered some more.

The instructor coughed into her hand. "Please refrain from falling asleep in my class."

"Sorry…" she mumbled. "Stupid familiar kept me up all night…"

Immediately the students began whispering among themselves.

"Her familiar?"

"That commoner?"

"Keeping her up all night? Doing what?"

"'That,' I imagine."

"Oh! 'That?' With a _commoner_? How unrefined!"

"Well, it is Louise the Zero. Who else would settle for someone so untalented and a disaster in everything she does?"

The snickerings grew, with some agreeing.

"Class!" Chevreuse snapped.

Louise lifted her wand and pointed it in the general direction of the last comment. "Teacher, I'm about to miscast a spell in that direction. Please step outside."

Students stopped joking and screamed in panic. Mrs. Chevreuse automatically started to head for the door. "Okay, Miss Val—I mean no!" She grabbed hold onto her desk to keep her lower half from continuing its treacherous run for safety. "N-no misfiring spells in the classroom! Especially at students! A-and teachers!"

Kirche ignored the bubbling pandemonium, noting that Ranma's seat was conspicuously empty today.

* * *

"Darling's still beating himself up over the orcs yesterday?" Kirche asked as she followed Louise out of the class.

"Feels like it," Louise said with a shrug. "Hadn't seen him since last night though. Gone as usual this morning." She let out a sad sigh. "I just wish he'd stop it. It doesn't feel like I got any willpower back since yesterday."

"You were bluffing?" Kirche asked with a surprised look on her face.

"Maybe, maybe not. I just want to go back to bed and sleep. But it's kind of hard to do so when you suddenly feel guilty about ants, your lack of 'skill' and a fiancé that you haven't seen in almost ten years and forgot about."

"Hmm… well, I ditched mine when—wait, you have a fiancé?"

Louise sighed. "Please, no chasing after him, Kirche. I don't think I want to know how Ranma would feel about that. Or do."

Kirche smiled smugly. "Somehow, I don't think your parents would have engaged you to anyone worth my time. I bet they were just looking to marry you off because of your state." She touched her chin after the words left her mouth, uncertain if that was the right thing to say.

"Maybe," Louise admitted. "Though I do like him. Or did. Do I still like him?" She shrugged a little. "He was handsome and nice to me. He always knew where to find me whenever I was down."

Kirche shrugged, letting the apology on her tongue slide past. "Speaking of which, how am I going to cheer Darling up?"

"Why are you asking me? Just seduce him like you normally do."

She eyed her oddly. "That won't work."

"Why not?"

"Because he's been ignoring me!"

She shrugged. "Sounds like a problem."

Kirche scowled in annoyance. "I really hate you when you're like this."

"Not my choice, mostly. I can't find anything to be happy a… bout…"

Kirche noticed that Louise had stopped walking.

"You could try taking him to Ragdorian Lake. He might cheer up. Or at least stop making me feel like the lowest thing in the world."

"Ragdorian Lake?"

"The Water Spirit, remember? Don't you think about anything other than boys?"

"…now I know I'm desperate to get Darling to pay attention to me again. I can't think of a proper line to counter that right now."

Louise rubbed one eye. "Well, he wanted to go swim to the bottom of the lake and talk to the Water Spirit there."

"What!" Kirche's green eyes flared wide in stunned realization. "Is he crazy! If he annoys a spirit while in its element—"

"You tell him that. I tried."

Kirche groaned, shaking her head. "While I like spontaneity, sometimes Darling is just too reckless!"

"Another thing I never thought I'd hear come out of your mouth."

"Oh, stuff it, Louise. Now I have to think of something to do about that. While getting to Ragdorian Lake is easy, just how are you supposed to communicate with a Water Spirit?"

"Why would you want to communicate with a Water Spirit in the first place?"

Kirche and Louise turned their heads to see who had jumped into their conversation.

Long blonde hair twisted into several large rolls that dripped from her head, a large red ribbon tied up on the back of her head. Light blue eyes, fitted with a hint of suspicion and annoyance. School uniform like Louise's, with a cup or two more bust than the same. She regarded the two strangely.

Her name was Montmorency Margarita la Fère de Montmorency___._

"Oh, it's Montmorency the Flood," Louise said dryly.

Montmorency's face twisted in anger. "It's Fragrance, _Zero_! Montmorency the Fragrance!"

It was a little unnerving just how little reaction the "Zero" comment had on Louise, as she replied with no more than a blink, "Fine, whatever. What do you know about Water Spirits, anyway?"

She turned her head sharply, sniffing in disdain. "A lot more about it than you. After all, my family has made contracts with that very same spirit for the last several generations."

Kirche was all ears. "Really? You can communicate with the Water Spirit?"

"Of course!" Montmorency smirked haughtily.

Seeing the way Kirche and Louise looked at each other, then back at her with those smiles (well, Kirche was smiling; Louise peered at her intently) suddenly made Montmorency wish she had never opened her mouth.

* * *

"Partner, don't you think you've sulked enough?"

Ranma didn't look at Derflinger propped up against the wall beside him as he had taken residence behind the kitchen. For himself, he was similarly resting against the stone structure, eyes lazily watching clouds roll by. Marteau had already come by with wine for him, which Ranma slowly sipped thoughtfully every so often. The goblet was still half-full sitting in the grass between both him and Derflinger.

"I'm not sulking, I just didn't feel like talking to anyone today, that's all."

"If you insist, Partner. I take it where you come from, there are no such things as orcs."

"Certainly no monsters like the ones here."

"Hmmm… must be peaceful there."

He shrugged. "We're not constantly fighting for survival, I guess."

"Interesting, that. Though that wouldn't explain your apt skills in combat."

"Martial arts, it's my life. I've been training to be the best since I could walk."

"I see. However, I do not understand the need to be 'the best' if there are no reasons for it. Unless combat is a very integral part of being human."

"…"

"Partner?"

He blew out a breath. "I don't know really. Pop had some kind of dream or something. Me… I just like this kind of life."

"Oh?"

He shook his head. "I don't really feel like going into it." Ranma rose to his feet and stretched a few moments before hoisting the magical sword up in hand. "I don't fight to fight or survive. There's duties to fulfill as a martial artist, and that's to protect those weaker than me. It's why I didn't kill those orcs outright, like you guys did; they're just way weaker than me, so…" He frowned, fastening on Derflinger. "Though, to be honest, I didn't know about what they did; otherwise, I wouldn't have been so nice about it."

"Understood, Partner. So, where are we going?"

"I dunno. Probably go find Louise or something, since I'm kinda stuck here with these weird rules and stuff for right now." He heaved a sigh. "Man, I really wish I could go to Ragdorian Lake."

"We can help you with that, Darling!"

Ranma looked up as Kirche, Louise and a blonde girl whom he didn't know came around the corner of the building.

"Ugh," the new girl said, wrinkling her nose up as she took in her surroundings.

"Who's that?" he asked, pointing at the blonde.

She looked appalled at the way Ranma addressed her. "Ridiculous commoner! Don't you have _any_ manners! My name is Montmorency Margarita la Fère de Montmorency."

Ranma scrunched his face up in puzzlement. "Monte-what? And what weird parents do you have, giving you the same first and last name?"

Montmorency stammered, indignant. "Wh-wh-what! How rude of you, commoner!"

He scratched the back of his head, turning his attention to the two girls that he did know. "Anyway, why'd you guys bring her here?"

Montmorency gnashed her teeth as Kirche spoke up, looking self-satisfied. "Her family has a contract with the Water Spirit at Ragdorian Lake. After a little talk, she decided that she'll take you there and act as a mediator between you and the Water Spirit."

"E-excuse me!" the blonde roared. "You want _me_ to take that rude and arrogant _commoner_ to Ragdorian Lake? Are you out of your mind!"

"You're getting paid, so be quiet," Louise snapped in her toneless voice.

"Not enough! Five hundred écu is not enough for this!"

Ranma hadn't heard anything past the girl being his mediator at Ragdorian Lake. He looked at his hands. "You mean… I might be… cured?" he spoke softly to himself, disbelief in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Montmorency continued her single-minded tirade. "It would be a great insult to my family's good name if—"

"So, Monte-Morrissey, was it?" Ranma spoke, slipping an arm around the girl, who became stonier than a statue at both the physical contact and horrible mangling of her name. "I'm Ranma Saotome, heir to the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts. Pleased to meet you."

Kirche's eyes were bugging out as Ranma so casually took another girl into his arms. And right before her! "Wh-what is this!"

"U-u-u-u-unhand me, you filthy commoner!" Montmorency bellowed, once she found her voice stuck in shock.

"Anyway, let's go! We haven't all time to waste!" Ranma cheerfully said as he threw the blonde girl over his shoulder and began running off. A cure! He was going to be cured! What a glorious day!

Montmorency turned scarlet. "P-Put me down this instant! I am not some tavern ___whore,_ you fool! Put me down this instant!"

Kirche looked suckerpunched and baffled as Ranma sped away with Montmorency beating her fists on Ranma's back. "What just happened?" She shook in fury. "Why in the name of the Founder did he just grab her and run off! How ___dare_ he do that to me!" she growled. "And how dare he _not_ do that with me! Unforgivable!" She quickly ran off after the martial artist, fire in her eyes.

Louise sighed. On the plus side, Ranma's mood had shot up considerably, which improved hers dramatically as well. Thank the Founder for that…

She let loose a great yawn. Maybe she could skip lunch and grab herself a little nap, now that she didn't have Ranma's constant dreary mood ruining hers. In fact, it seemed like a great idea.

* * *

"How in the name of the Founder did I get dragged into this?" Montmorency groaned to herself as Sylphid glided on wind currents against the light of the sun burning into the western horizon just off to their left. She shook her head, remembering that she was stuck behind the commoner, while Tabitha and Kirche rode up front near the dragon's head.

"You're being compensated," Kirche grumbled, looking furtively behind her at Ranma's giddy expression.

"Only five hundred écu! And for a commoner!"

"Well, if you feel that strongly about it, just give me the money back."

Montmorency folded her arms. "I should have demanded more for my services," she spoke, completely ignoring Kirche's request, which made the redhead smirk in satisfaction.

"Gonna be cured! Gonna be cured!" Ranma kept chanting, lost in his fantasy of being a full-time male once again.

"Cured of what?" Montmorency had to ask. She had heard the commoner say it several, several, _several_ times since they were formally introduced, but until now, she had been lacking the desire to pay him any mind. Mostly because he was crass, ignorant, arrogant and presumptuous – he dare lay hands on a noble, let alone carry her off like some cheap bar wench!

And she still could not forget how he utterly mangled her name. Monte-Morrissey? Was he _trying_ to provoke her?

"Eh, don't worry about it," Kirche replied with a hand wave-off. "It's nothing important."

She frowned. "What do you mean 'don't worry about it'?"

Ranma cackled. "Cure, cure, cure!"

A chill crept down Montmorency's spine. This was getting stranger and stranger. "What in the name of Brimir is going on? Is he mad?" A mad familiar… it almost seemed like something Louise the Zero _would_ conjure up. To make a pact with the Zero, one would almost _have_ to be mad. Or at least a little touched in the head.

"Secret," Tabitha spoke.

That made her frown up is surprise before her lips pouted in indignation. "A secret? Does this have to do with Ragdorian Lake? Why are we going out there anyway!"

Ranma couldn't contain himself. "Ooo hooo hooo hoo~oo~h!" he hooted, both fists pumping in glee. "Yes! No more being a girl again!"

Outraged (and maybe a little frightened) at the lack of answers – and what was this about being a girl? – Montmorency grabbed Ranma roughly by the shoulder and yanked him around to face her.

Ranma blinked, shaken out of his fantasy. "Hmm? What?"

She scowled. "What in the name—"

Sylphid suddenly dipped down, dropping like a rock for a second. Montmorency was flung forward right into Ranma.

The dragon righted itself shortly and began to beat its wings hard to make up for its lost speed. However Montmorency couldn't hear it over the sound of her blood pounding in her ears.

His scent… a strong, masculine scent unlike anything she smelled before, filled her nose. His face was so close… eyes wide in shock. He seemed to try and speak, and her lips parted with his, her tongue...

Did that… sound… come from her…?

Was this…?

No, no, it couldn't be… couldn't be… She was imagining this… she had to be… A weird imagination she had because she most certainly wouldn't be thinking things like this. Most certainly not with a _commoner_. And especially not with _this_ commoner!

If she just pinched herself, she'll probably just wake up in bed, awaiting another day of lectures and that idiotic playboy trying to butter her up...

"What the hell is this!"

The sudden cry broke her belief, as well as her heart.

Montmorency Margarita la Fère de Montmorency, age sixteen, had just lost her first kiss to a commoner.

Louise the Zero's commoner.

Her eyes turned to try and meet the back of her head as she slumped bonelessly into a blissful, dark unawareness.

* * *

Louise woke up with a yawn.

Mmm~~~m! Did she feel so much better! What a refreshing nap…

She swung her still-in-stockings legs over the side of her bed, to find her shoes, letting her nap bleed out of her system. A pulse of feeling – like being walked in on while in the bath – jolted through Louise's head. She made a face. Geez… what was Ranma doing _now_?

She better go find that idiot. Always getting _her_ into trouble with his own oddities…

As Louise stretched, she happened to glance out of her bedroom window.

And paused.

Why was the sun going down? She only took a nap through lunch…

* * *

"You are incredible, Partner! Four nobles! Absolutely incredible! You just might be the greatest familiar this land has ever seen!"

Ranma massaged his temples, suppressing the urge to groan. "I wouldn't say that's a compliment, Derf…" he said with a sigh. In his lap was the unconscious Montmorency. Meanwhile, Kirche privately seethed in front of them.

It wasn't his fault the girl had gotten thrown into his face. He was certain of that. And yet, Kirche flips out over an accident.

He didn't really understand that girl. Sometimes, she was overly clingy, sometimes she almost forgot about him entirely. He started to wonder just if Louise was onto something about her being flighty. Though that would irk the hell out of him.

Not that he really thought of her like that. Well, not really. It was pretty nice, though, and, well, Kirche… she didn't seem to mind his curse so much and all, but well…

He mentally shook his head. Anyway.

Do girls go that far in stringing a guy along, though? His mind slipped back to the Day of Void in Tristainia, in the inn. That time before Louise came crashing in under the sway of his feelings. It felt… sincere. He couldn't imagine why _wouldn't_ she be at that time. After all, she… well…

Ranma rubbed the spot between his eyebrows in annoyance. He really didn't understand these girls' thinking at all…

"Ohh… what happened?" Montmorency groaned, holding her head.

He filed off his thoughts for later. "Hey," Ranma replied. "You all right?"

The blonde girl had stared up at him without words for a long time. Then she let out an ear-piercing shriek that threw everyone, including Sylphid, off by surprise.

Which also sent the unseated Montmorency skittering off the dragon's back.

"Whoa!" Ranma shot forward, catching the girl by the hand as she dangled off the dragon.

"No~! Let me go! I want to die~!"

He made a face. "Are you out of your mind?"

"You stole my first kiss! A commoner stole my first kiss! Give it back! Give it back!"

Kirche, who had watched the entire exchange silently made a face. "Tristainians…" she muttered darkly before turning away. Tabitha only noted the situation in the first few seconds of its occurrence. Since everything was well in hand, she deigned to not give it another thought as she continued to guide Sylphid on its course.

Which left Ranma to deal with the infuriated, mortified Montmorency alone.

Lucky him…

* * *

"Where is that idiot?" Louise grumbled, searching high and low for Ranma.

She would have thought he would have at least bothered to wake her up in time for class; instead, he let her sleep through all of her afternoon lessons! What kind of familiar did she summon anyway? Tch, selfish…

Wherever he was, Kirche wasn't with him – she could feel his growing annoyance and… was that resignation?

Louise could sort of tell whenever Kirche was or wasn't around Ranma. Mostly because Kirche never let an opportunity go by to try and seduce that idiot, despite knowing full well Louise would also be on the receiving end. Either that girl didn't care or…

Well, she probably just didn't care.

Speaking of which, she hadn't seen Kirche, either. The boys that usually hang out with her were off doing their own thing, Louise now recalled. In fact, one vaguely familiar face was walking past her right now.

"Hey, excuse me?"

"Hmm?" His eyes widened. "O~h…"

She frowned. "What does _that_ mean?"

"Ah… nothing. I really got to get going and—"

"Why aren't you hanging all over Kirche today?"

He shrugged, quickly turning to walk away. Really fast. "Don't know haven't seen her since before lunch gotta go bye!"

Louise pouted. Threaten to miscast one spell and everyone acts like you're a monster… she shook her head in dismay. Anyway, he hadn't seen Kirche since before lunch.

…

Before lunch…

…they didn't… They didn't do what she thought they did...

…did they?

Kirche _would_, though, especially if Ranma was that eager to go.

Which he was.

The only conclusion came to mind. And she didn't like it _at all_. They left for Ragdorian Lake while she was taking a nap, and no one said a word about it to her! Especially that jerk Ranma!

She stormed off to her room again. She really needed to think of a way to get back at those thoughtless idiots. Didn't they think that _maybe_ she wanted to go, too?

Jerks! Every last one of them!

* * *

"Wow, it's so pretty!" Kirche cooed as Sylphid neared the lake's edge, its surface illuminated by the twin moons overhead.

"Land," Tabitha spoke, which the dragon crowed happily. Within minutes, the small party was once again on solid ground.

"Gee, how long are you going to sulk?" Ranma asked Montmorency in dismay.

"Go away. I hate you," the blonde snapped off in terse words.

"Now, now…" Kirche spoke, running fingers through her hair. "Remember, you have a job to do."

Montmorency reached into her purse and shoved five hundred écu right into a surprised Kirche's chest. "Keep your money. I'm not doing it."

"What!" Ranma squawked. "But we came all this way!"

"I don't care!" she shouted. "You… you… you monster!"

Ranma flinched as though physically slapped.

Montmorency paid no heed, running headlong with her anger. "You stole my first kiss! You odious beast! How dare you!"

He recovered from the initial comment, slowly folding his arms across his body. He smirked darkly. "Oh, really? Seems like someone rather enjoyed thrusting their tongue down my throat."

Montmorency sputtered as if kicked in the gut. Anything she tried to say was lost in a sea of gibberish letters and mashed-together sound effects.

For her part, Kirche glared at the blonde intensely.

"And was _moaning_ in _pleasure_, too," Ranma added with a triumphant verbal jab.

"What!" Kirche shouted.

Montmorency turned white as a sheet. "Th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th-"

Ranma turned and headed down to the lake, hands behind his head. "Wonder how your friends will respond to the news of you giving your first kiss to a commoner, hmm?"

Now Montmorency trembled fom head to foot. "Th-th-th-th-th-that's a lie! A lie lie lie!"

He whistled. "Boy, won't they be surprised you like guys like that…"

"Die!"

=SPLOOSH=

Ranma was blown off his feet by a pounding torrent of water and sent tumbling into the lake.

"Y-y-you monster! H-how dare you slander my good name so with such filthy lies!" Montmorency roared, wand hand trembling as she stalked towards the lake's edge, ready to drown the source of her troubles. "What gives you the right to manhandle my fragile maiden self with such… such… su~ch…"

She lost all fire, gaping at seeing herself in the water, wearing the commoner's clothes. And what happened to her hair? Tied back in a long plain braid instead of her beautiful curls.

Kirche and Tabitha joined Montmorency's side as the soaked blonde in the water rose to her feet.

"I really wish you nobles would stop blasting people with water," Ranma-Montmorency growled, flicking back his now-blonde hair. "I'm getting pretty damn sick of it."

Montmorency decided that revisiting her blissful dark unawareness was a valid plan until she could figure out just what was going on and why was she giving herself a lecture.

* * *

"…so, yeah, that's the whole story of why we're here," a male Ranma concluded over a small campfire as he sat on the ground, flanked on either side by Kirche and Tabitha.

Montmorency just stared as she sat directly across from Ranma, listening to his story. Another world? A water-based curse that changes his sex? A gift of mimicry borne from kissing?

She shook her head, unable to rationalize any of that. While she was a water mage and had more intimate knowledge of water magic than most students, the Jusenkyo curse… she couldn't begin to fathom what kind of mage would do such a thing to pools of water… or even _if_ it could have been done at all.

"That's a little much to take in," she admitted, pinching the bridge of her nose. "And you want _me_ to contact the Water Spirit so you might be able to dispel this… curse?"

Ranma nodded. "Mm hmm."

She thought it over for a second. "…fine, all right. I'll do it. Just this one time."

Just as Ranma started to thank her, Kirche cut into the conversation with, "Hey, there's a light out in the lake." She pointed to a spot in the lake for emphasis, which, indeed was glowing.

Montmorency gasped. "Is that really…?"

Ranma turned to her. "What? What's that?"

The surface of the lake above the glowing light began to ripple, water swelling up in a blobbish circle.

"It's the Water Spirit," Montmorency breathed. She hadn't seen it since she was a little girl, when her father tried to negotiate a deal with it that ended up falling through disastrously. "It's rarely comes to the surface, though. We would have to call upon it with our familiars."

An amoeba-like shape bulged from the lake like a watery sprout, its form constantly shifting and changing.

"What the heck?" Ranma began, taking to his feet.

Before anyone could do anything, the water blob soon shifted into the form of a girl, nude and translucent, with hair braided and ruffled bangs somewhat suspended in the air. It then looked directly as Ranma.

"…I most certainly didn't expect to see that form again," Ranma commented in amazement, drawing Kirche's attention. "That's what the Water Spirit looks like?"

"N-no," Montmorency spoke, unnerved for some reason. "Whatever you do, don't anger it!"

"Mere human, I will now speak to you in a way that you may understand," the Water Spirit said. "Release my kin and return it to these waters."

Ranma blinked. "Uh, what?" He looked at Montmorency, who was similarly puzzled. "What does _that_ mean?"

"How should I know!" she hissed. "Just do it!"

"Do _what_!" he hissed back. "I don't understand!"

Quickly, Montmorency stepped forward, not wanting the spirit to become angry. "Spirit of this lake! My name is—"

"I speak only to the male human."

"Can't help you," she spoke from her hiding place behind Ranma, clutching his shirt.

He made a face at her. "Some help you are."

"And I thought you were supposed to be the expert here," Kirche added with a testy frown.

"You don't anger a Water Spirit," she snapped back at the redhead in the quietest tone she could muster before turning her attention back to Ranma. "Anyway, just ask what she means. And be respectful."

He sighed. "Fine…" He turned to the Water Spirit. "Look, I don't get what you're talking about, so could you help me out here?"

The blonde's grip onto his shirt tightened. "I said respectful!"

The Water Spirit did not seem to take offense and began to speak. "My kin, whom you possess its fragment of being, disappeared over sixty-thousand moon cycles ago. Bound by the emptiness, it cried out into these waters for freedom. Release it here."

Ranma blinked. "Um…" He turned to Montmorency. "I really don't get what it's saying. I mean, I'd do it, but what fragment? I don't have anything."

"Why are you asking—"

"Partner!"

A jet of water shot out and smashed into Ranma and Montmorency. The blast carried them through the air for several yards before violently slamming them into the foot of a hill with enough force to scoop out a small crater.

"Darling!" A roar of fire went flying towards the Water Spirit, only to be blasted back with another torrent of water, intent on crushing into Kirche.

However, it struck a bubble of wind, shredding it away.

"How dare you!" the redhead roared, taking aim once again with her wand as Tabitha held up the wind bubble around them.

* * *

Montmorency moaned in pain, her clothing and hair soaked through and through. "Stupid…! Gah!" She winced, holding her head. "I told you not to anger the Water Spirit, idiot…"

She tried to lift up, but couldn't move. The answer soon became apparent. Creepily so.

It was like looking at herself doing something she wouldn't have done.

Ranma, in Montmorency's form, had secured her in his arms with deathgrip tenacity, and took the brunt of the impact, back-first. And judging by the size of the crater, it was…

She didn't want to think about it as she tugged herself free from those arms. She dreaded to know just how pulverized his cursed body must be, even as she began to chant words to try and heal him at least. Because thinking about it would have made her sick to her own stomach.

After all, it was almost like looking into a mirror.

Thankfully, the water lingering in the crater would probably help her magic do whatever she could for him. After all, he did save her from certain death. That… well, that was worth something. Even if he was a rude, obnoxious commoner that stole not only her first kiss, but her face as well. She couldn't call herself a noble if she let that go without some effort on her part to save him.

Midway through her chant, Ranma-Montmorency gasped for air, startling the girl. He started to cough violently.

"Ow…" he groaned. "That kinda hurt."

The spell forgotten, Montmorency stared as the curse boy. "Y-you're alive? I thought you were— I mean, look at the crater here! How! How could you… I mean… I would have… died…" She started to tremble.

Ranma-Montmorency sat up slowly. "Die? From a little hit like that? Man, Pop would be shaming me if out of the grave if something like that could do me in." He winced. "Though it still hurts like hell."

Montmorency had no words. Was he even human? She shook her head clear, forced her fright away as she stood out of the crater.

"Well, anyway, if you're all right, we really need to get out of here! I don't know what you did to anger the Water Spirit, but—"

The water in the crater surged up, engulfing the surprised Ranma-Montmorency whole.

Montmorency's eyes widened. "What! How!"

Her frantic eyes spotted the source almost immediately.

A groove had been cut into the earth, leading from the crater to the lake. Water was flowing _up_ into the crater, not lingering as she thought. She quickly tried to jam back the water stream with her own magic, rip it apart.

The water continued rolling uphill, ignoring her will.

"No…" she breathed. "It's not strong enough…"

Meanwhile, a horrible gurgling sound grabbed Montmorency's attention. Behind her, Ranma-Montmorency struggled impotently within the water bubble as his cursed body started to convulse. The clear liquid inside… it was starting to redden, thin crimson streams coming from his arms as the cursed boy thrashed about in the liquid prison.

"Oh, no…" she whispered in horror. The Water Spirit was killing him, controlling his blood, seeping it out through his pores.

Seeing herself in the bubble being slowly murdered, her panic and fright reached a feverish pitch. She wasn't even aware that she was screaming right along with the martial artist, having covered her ears with both hands and shut her eyes against what was certainly going to be a gruesome sight.

And then, hot liquid splattered across her body.

* * *

Louise hadn't moved for several minutes, sitting at the desk in her dorm room.

It felt… silent. There was a growing panic inside of her earlier, a mind-numbing terror that made her fear she was going to be reliving the Cat Fist again. And then, it just… stopped.

Nothing.

She never noticed just how alone she felt inside her own head, now that Ranma wasn't messing her up with his emotions. That she noticed this now made her feel fear.

Because she wasn't getting _anything_ from Ranma. It was as if…

She bit her lip, held her hands to her mouth, her heartbeat racing cold.

"H-he's alive, right?" she asked no one, shivering. "I… I mean he has to be alive… right?"

Louise quickly clapped her hands together, plunging the room into darkness, a paltry attempt to keep at bay the acknowledgement of her own fears.


	9. Faces of Death

**Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi. Familiar of Zero (Zero no Tsukaima) is owned by Noboru Yamaguchi. All rights reserved.**

**Zero Interface**  
Chapter 9  
Faces of Death

"What in the name of the Founder happened?" Kirche asked herself as the group raced through the sky, getting as far away from Ragdorian Lake as possible.

What started as a quick trip for answers turned into a nightmare fight for survival. Darling…

She heard Montmorency scream. Saw the bubble of water trapping her Darling. Couldn't move for him, due to her and Tabitha being constantly assaulted by the Water Spirit. Her magic was stymied, and Tabitha couldn't break the wind bubble to try and separate him from the spirit's grasp – they would have all been killed in the process.

She screamed in impotent rage as Ranma-Montmorency was slowly killed before her eyes.

She couldn't conclude what exactly happened after that; it was a little hazy to her. All she remembered was feeling _something_ in the air. Like the air hummed with magic. But it was no magic she could ever recall feeling. It permeated her body, stirred up her soul, and electrified her ardor.

Within the bubble, her Darling was pulsating with an ethereal light. The water surrounding him seemed to boil off his skin, a fact revealed as such when his girl-cursed body shifted back to his normal male self. Kirche had noticed his left hand with the Familiar's Runes glowed.

The glowing light suddenly pushed outward from his body, and the water bubble exploded, water cascading everywhere.

Darling's cursed body continued to radiate the arcane light – in fact, the whole air glowed a vibrant blue for a few seconds as he stood, water no longer within his vicinity. He looked victorious.

And then he promptly fell over, hitting the ground facefirst with a solid thud.

Stunned. Kirche was absolutely stunned. That strange glow… Was it magic? Did that mean Darling was a noble of some sort? What did she just bear witness to? It didn't make any sense.

Not that she or anyone else had the luxury of trying to understand it at the moment. The small party was already neck deep in trouble; they needed to get out of here, and quickly.

The Water Spirit's attack stopped immediately upon Darling's unusual escape from its prison. Seeing it take interest in Ranma again while ignoring her and Tabitha, Kirche leveled her wand at the elemental. She reached further and further into herself, drawing upon every shred of magic she could force out of herself. Her passionate flame burned like ice as she sought for one thing – total annihilation of the Water Spirit.

She felt something in her mind give way, the flame of magic within her roaring to incredible heights of which she had never seen within herself before now.

One Triangle spell, charged with four Fires' worth of Square magic.

"Fireball," she spoke softly, completely in contrast to the global chunk of flaming death sparking from her wand. It screamed forth, the very water molecules in the water splitting apart from the intense heat, hydrogen exploding, while oxygen fed into the fireball, amplifying its destructive power even moreso than what Kirche's magic intended.

Not that she minded it one bit.

The Water Spirit saw the incoming attack a moment too late. The upper part of the Water Spirit was struck head-on, obliterating most of it almost before contact. It screamed somehow, a tattered remains of it submerging back into the water to avoid further attacks.

Kirche started to point her wand at the spot the spirit fled, but a quick tug on her arm drew her out of her frozen fury. She glared at Tabitha, who remained unshaken by the expression.

"We leave now," she said calmly, pointing behind her.

At some point, Sylphid had been called from its flight position overhead, while a shaken Montmorency tried Levitating Darling's body onto the dragon's back. The way her hand trembled, she couldn't focus.

"Levitation," Tabitha spoke, waving her staff to collect Ranma's prone form and place it onboard the dragon familiar as she practically dragged Kirche away from the lake's shore. Within moments, they climbed into the sky, putting distance between them and an angry Water Spirit. Montmorency was gradually recovering from the traumatic experience, enough that she could check Ranma's body for injuries.

"He's… he's not going to die… I don't think," Montmorency spoke. "Trauma… lot of trauma…" She shook her head worriedly. "I can't do much for him. The Water Spirit… I think it was… it was trying to tear him open."

Kirche sneered back towards the lake disappearing behind them. What the hell did the spirit seek to do in trying to kill her Darling?

"We're going to need some reagents for him. I'm pretty certain."

The wind dragon suddenly banked.

Kirche looked up to Tabitha. "Hey, where are we going? The Academy's the other way!"

The blue-haired girl didn't answer for several seconds, her eyes staring straight into the velvety dark.

"Hey, Tabitha! Were are you going?"

"Home," the blue-haired girl finally spoke as they went further into Gallian territory.

* * *

Morning began to climb into the land of Tristain.

Louise had already been sitting up in bed for two hours. Eyes closed, with her hands folded in her lap, wand lightly held under her thumbs, and her legs tucked under her Indian-style, she had done nothing but concentrate on her breathing, letting her thoughts flow out, and empty from her mind.

In that vast emptiness, she let herself try to be receptive to something, anything, that was not of her own thoughts. It was really difficult at best, but she couldn't just let that moment go from last night. She barely slept, having no idea what happened to Ranma, and the only thing that kept her from jumping onto a horse and going to find out was…

She was afraid to find out the truth.

It was a stray thought that came to her at one point. She honestly didn't want to know, not because she didn't care, but… because she didn't want to lose him. In all her time at the Academy, she had never been given any measure of respect, due to her screw-ups with magic. She was ridiculed, bore the Runic mockery title of "the Zero"… even teachers considered her a hopeless case. Not to mention, just about everyone in her family already considered her a lost cause, casting magic that only backfired spectacularly.

She could bear it if she didn't think about it, holding onto her "someday" belief – someday, she would discover her element, someday, she'll be a splendid mage. Of course, the reality was a lot harder to conceptualize.

Until she summoned Ranma.

Of course, he was an _incredible_ disappointment at first, being that not only was he a human, he was also commoner. She had never been so embarrassed before in her entire life. And to make matters worse, he tried to leave her. Physically _leave_ her like _he_ was the insulted party and wanted nothing more to do with her. She still didn't know just what was it that got him to reconsider her plight and help her out.

Whatever it was, she was… grateful for it.

Ranma never did make fun of her, nor did he think her to be useless. Instead, he actively tried to help her from the first day. Sure, he stunk at being a familiar, nor did he really listen to her, and for the life of her, he _liked_ getting into fights and making her life exponentially more complicated. However, he seemed to believe in her potential for greatness, even when she didn't. Of course, as it turned out, he thought it would get him home if he did help, but even afterwards, he _still_ tried to help her with unlocking her potential.

She didn't want to lose that, the only…

She let the thought drift from her mind… that wasn't it. Just let stray thoughts wander on their own. Hold nothing, force nothing. Let it do as it desires.

…a feeling… muted, utterly exhausted. She felt the same when bereft of her willpower the day before.

She let her thoughts empty out… one… another… another…

The exhausted feeling… it remained. It remained!

Uncertainty gripped Louise. Could it be…? What if it was? What should she do?

Hope swelled in her breast as she tried to somehow draw upon it. It was a good sign, no matter what, but… what happened? Why did Ranma just… drop out like that?

Slowly, painstakingly, she tried to not hold onto the feeling too much, but at the same time guide herself towards it. She prodded and poked at it, not sure as to what it was that she hoped to achieve. Perhaps, somehow finding him? If his feelings could flow into her, maybe her thoughts could flow into him as well?

She sought to try it and find out.

A little here... a little there… mm... too much… no good…

She concentrated harder.

Mmm… no… not good enough… damn it… what could she do?

Her brows furrowed deeper. She wouldn't give up… not like this!

She forced her thoughts to collect around that feeling, draw upon it… follow it… trace it back… grr… just do it already…

Her head felt light. She pushed the feeling aside.

Just find him already!

It felt like she was walking through a door of water. For a brief second, the abrupt sensation startled her, causing her eyes to flare open.

She fell out of her bed with a thump, her meditation completely shattered.

"Damn it!" she shouted. She thought she might have had something. She could have sworn she saw something in that instant. A vision? A dream?

…nothing. It just happened too fast for her to recall. She tried to move, only to realize she couldn't feel her feet! They felt like the bones and muscles inside where removed and had been stuffed with cotton! She could see her toes move, but not feel them at all! Too bizarre!

Soon, feeling began to return to her limbs, stiff muscles crying out in protest, having been denied blood for who knew how long. The cotton-stuffed feeling had been replaced with ten thousand pins and needles. Moving drove her into fits of jangling pain, prickling her all the way up to her head.

"Geh!"

She really needed to avoid doing that again.

It took several minutes before her body felt like it had returned to normal. Testing her feet and finding them sufficient, she prepared to stand when she caught sight of the morning sky.

Only, it was too bright to be early morning.

…just how long was she meditating anyway?

* * *

The pink glow shimmering in the center of the room died out just as quickly as it came. No one saw it, save for one.

The sentient sword Derflinger, hanging upon a bedpost, hummed softly to itself. "Amazing. To think, she could push that far without them…"

The sword's attention shifted from the faded light to the room's other occupant, an unconscious male with a light bed sheet pulled over his clothed body.

Ranma Saotome, the legendary Gandalfr, familiar of the Void.

"You certainly have amazing luck with masters, Partner," the sword said more to itself as Ranma Saotome continued his dreamless sleep.

The room's door opened. In came Montmorency, a slightly pensive look on her face.

"Any change?" she asked the talking sword.

"Nothing," Derflinger replied. "Whatever Partner did, it knocked him out good."

"You certain it was something he did?" she asked.

"Certain."

She shook her head. "But, I thought he was just a commoner? He has magic?"

"I wouldn't know."

"You really aren't much help," the blonde stated, looking a little frustrated with the sword.

"He's not exactly ordinary. Does that help?"

Montmorency sighed. She produced her wand and, with a few words from her lips, she made a couple of passes over Ranma's supine form.

"…it's like he's drained of magic, that's the best I can tell. His body's healed much faster than the water mage brought over said it would have been."

"Partner is rather unique, you know."

Montmorency turned her head, as if somewhat embarrassed to admit something.

"He is rather popular with noble ladies, I've noticed."

The blonde girl snapped her head back to look at the talking sword. "Whu?"

"It's all right. I won't tell anyone if you want to give him a kiss for saving you yesterday."

Montmorency cracked, making odd "krk-krk-krk" sounds from her throat.

"Am I mistaken? That is how nobles reward him, is it not?"

"It most certainly isn't!" she shouted, ignoring the sear in her cheeks. "T-to kiss a commoner!"

"What's this about kissing?" Kirche asked, poking her head into the room, an inquisitive look on her face.

"Nothing!" Montmorency snapped, jerking away from the bed. "He seems to be doing much better than expected. Just have to wait for him to wake up from whatever happened last night. In the meanwhile, let him rest."

"Okay," Kirche agreed before Montmorency pushed past her in haste, hiding her face. The redhead quirked her mouth to one direction before entering the open room. "So, Derf, has she been trying to sneak a kiss on my Darling?"

"I wouldn't know."

"Mmm…" She gave a light shrug before drawing out her wand. "You wouldn't happen to be covering for her would you? I'd hate to see you reduced to a molten puddle."

"Swear it on my mother's grave."

"You don't have a mother."

"And how would _you_ know? Intelligence had to come from somewhere."

She put away the wand. "You do make an interesting point…"

"Naturally. I am a sword."

"Mmm…" She looked down upon the unconscious martial artist. Touching his lips with her index, she lightly traced their outline. Then she touched it to the slight part in them.

He did not respond.

"Mmm… maybe we can resume later, hmm, Darling?"

Without another word, Kirche turned and walked out the room, closing the door behind her.

After a few moments, Derflinger spoke. "I have to admit, Partner, you live a very charmed life. I just hope it doesn't kill you in the end."

* * *

Louise felt extremely fortunate for once in the last few weeks.

Today was Founder Brimir's birthday, which was a celebratory time in Halkeginia. However, to Tristain's Academy of Magic, there was an even greater reason for cheer.

Princess Henrietta would be coming by on her way home from her trip to Germania.

Classes had been canceled earlier that morning in order to prepare for her arrival, much to Louise's academic relief. It would be nice to see the Princess again, even though she was almost certain Henrietta had completely forgotten about her former playmate. They certainly had some interesting adventures as children.

Too bad those days were long past.

* * *

Tabitha entered the room where Ranma was left to recover, a dejected expression on her face. The door closed softly behind her as she pressed her back against its wood.

The only sounds heard in the room were Ranma's quiet breathing and her own.

She remained this way for several minutes, her face drawn into a slow misery.

"Partner's strong," Derflinger finally said. "I'm certain of that."

Tabitha took notice of the sword hanging from the bedpost. Slowly, she pushed off the door and approached it. She couldn't help but to ask it, "How?"

"Because he's Partner."

It was a simple response. Tabitha looked at the sword more intently.

"I am a talking sword, you know."

She didn't respond to that, turning to face Ranma lying in the bed. Almost fearfully, she reached out a hand to touch the far side of his face tentatively. His warmth flowed into her fingertips with no effort, light breath stroking her hand.

Satisfied with the moment, she withdrew her hand slowly.

She didn't expect him to ensnare it faster than a snake strike.

"Whu? Huh?" Ranma groaned, having already released her hand, much to a startled Tabitha's surprise. His eyes flapped open and closed, trying to drive away the slumber that held him enthralled since last night, as he forced the bedsheets off of his body. "Where am I?"

"Partner! You're awake!"

Ranma groaned again. "Not so loud, I kinda have a headache." He saw the black shoes and the white leggings. Lifting his head up, he connected with the owner's face. "Hey, Tabitha. Did I win?"

Tabitha drew her arms around Ranma's head, hugging the surprised martial artist.

* * *

Louise let loose a sigh of relief, feeling Ranma in her head again. At that point, it almost didn't matter what was going on, just as long as he was feeling all right.

"Don't you dare die on me, you idiot," she remarked to herself with a smile.

Then she remembered where she was.

Mr. Colbert blinked, uncertain of what to say. "Ah, well, Miss Vallière, I, ah, really hadn't planned to die anytime soon…"

She bit her lip, trying to push down her embarrassment. "Sorry Mr. Colbert. I was just… thinking…"

The balding instructor gave her a look. "Are you certain you're okay? Ever since that incident last week—"

"No, no! Really, I'm fine!" Louise spoke up hastily. She _really_ didn't want to be reminded of that time for as long as she lived.

He let it go with an indifferent shrug. "Well, as long as you understand the notes for class yesterday, I don't see why you wouldn't be able to pass the written test next week."

"Thank you, Mr. Colbert."

* * *

"So, where are we again?" Ranma asked, sitting up on the bed, his feet on the floor as Tabitha was seated beside him.

"Gallia," Tabitha responded, her hands in her lap.

"Why're we here?"

"…home."

He nodded. "Ah, okay. How long was I out?"

"Off hand, I'd say eighteen hours or so, Partner," Derflinger spoke. "I think it's getting close to noon." Tabitha nodded in agreement.

Ranma whistled lowly. "That long, huh? Wow… guess I shouldn't overload my ki like that again."

"Ki?" Tabitha asked, puzzled.

"Yeah, my ki. It's basically life-flowing energy."

On that, Tabitha looked alarmed.

"What exactly happened, Partner?" Derflinger spoke.

Ranma frowned up in concentration. "Well, I couldn't free myself, so I really just… looked into me, I suppose. I heard the song in my head, and next thing I know, I'm seeing just how I could force off the water attacking me. I pulled in on my ki, let it swell and swell, you know, sort of like how you guys can supercharge a dot spell with two elements, then I just… forced it out through my whole body. Knocked away all the water, like I thought it would. Then, I just remember everything going black afterwards."

"You are truly amazing, Partner. To repel even a Water Spirit's magic in such a dire position… and in such an unheard of way… it's something incredible."

Tabitha nodded. "Afraid for you."

Ranma smiled, putting his hand on top of the slight mage's head. "My name is Ranma Saotome, heir to the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts. I have no intentions of dying anytime soon."

She stared up at him with widened eyes, a loss for words.

There was a knock that the front door.

"Enter," Tabitha spoke.

The room door opened, revealing an old, graying man with a wilted mustache. He looked nervous. "Miss Charlotte..."

"Percerin," Tabitha replied, her face stoic.

"You have a message from the King."

Ranma looked from the old man, then to Tabitha, whose face took on a slight hint of terror, and back at the old man. Charlotte? Who was that? Why did Tabitha answer to that name? What would a king want with a cute kid like Tabitha?

Ranma had a sinking feeling he wasn't going to like learning about all the things he missed out on while unconscious.

* * *

"Hey, thanks for showing me around, old man," Ranma said cheerfully as he entered the living room, Derflinger strapped to his back.

"Darling, you're awake!" Kirche called out in surprise, as she put down the pen she was using to doodle on some paper with.

Montmorency looked up, just as surprised. She, too, had paper in her lap, with some writing scribbled on it. "I wouldn't have thought you'd be up so soon."

Ranma scratched his head. "I didn't think I'd be out for so long."

Montmorency made a face as Kirche had gotten up to hug him. Gently, the blonde noted. "Are you all right?" she asked, concern on her face.

"Yeah, yeah. Just burned myself out a bit escaping that bubble, that's all."

"Doing what?"Montmorency asked. "How could you even do anything against a Water Spirit's magic?"

"Overcharged my ki to force the water to repel. Unfortunately, I did too much overcharging and sort of blacked out."

"Ki?"

"Yeah. I take my own life flow and redirect it, enhance my body or objects. I can also use it like an attack if I want."

Kirche and Montmorency looked at each other, then at Ranma.

"That's… sort of hard to believe," Kirche admitted. "I mean, what you did last night… it felt like you were forcing a spell or something." She touched her chest, right above her bosom, eyes closed in reverent memory. "I could feel it flow into me, resonate." She smiled. "It was amazing."

Ranma blinked. "Really?"

Kirche nodded, still smiling.

Ranma filed that away for future reference. If what Kirche said was true, then it might just be a breakthrough for Louise. Though he didn't know if she'd be able to handle the training.

"Anyway. Enough about that. What's going on around here?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why'd the old man called Tabitha Charlotte, and why would a king be sending messages to her?"

"He didn't tell you?" Montmorency asked.

"Tell me what?"

"She's the niece of the King of Gallia."

Ranma looked surprised. "Really?"

Kirche nodded. "I didn't know myself until last night."

He folded his arms, face set in a sage-like expression. "So, she's the king's niece… Okay. So I guess her uncle heard she was in town and wanted to see her, even though she's not all that thrilled about it."

The girls grew quiet, glancing at each other in uncertainty.

Ranma noticed this. "What?" he asked, scratching his head.

"It's nothing that simple. You see, her father, The Duke of Orléans, was assassinated by the current king's supporters five years ago."

Ranma stopped scratching his head. "…say what?"

Kirche stepped in. "Kin fighting kin for the throne. Came to an end when Tabitha's father was killed with a poisoned arrow, making her uncle Joseph the King of Gallia by default."

"That's… pretty rough, I can imagine."

"It doesn't end there," Kirche spoke. "After the King was crowned, his supporters sought to end Tabitha's life as she knew it."

Ranma stared at Kirche blankly.

The redhead nodded grimly. "It was a poison that would drive her into insanity. However, her mother took the drink instead, to save her life. The butler says she still lives somewhere in this mansion, her mind destroyed to the point that she cares for a doll she had last bought for her, seeing it as her daughter Charlotte. So… she took the doll's name as her own."

The sound of Ranma's knuckles cracking like walnuts in a vise as his balled-up hands tightening made Montmorency feel ill. "I don't think we need to tell him any—"

"Tell me," Ranma commanded, his hair obscuring his eyes.

"When they failed they made her take on an impossible task, hoping she'd die," Montmorency spat out. "However, she not only survived, but completed the task, so they made her a Chevalier so they can send her out on increasingly more dangerous missions, hoping that she'll die in the course of duty."

"And she's getting another one right now, isn't she?"

Kirche nodded reluctantly.

"Fucking great," Ranma replied, starting to head for the door.

"Where are you going?" Montmorency cried out.

"To pay the king a visit." Knuckles cracked like thunder.

Kirche grabbed his arm with both hands. "Darling, no!"

He stopped moving. "It's totally fucked up what they did. I don't get why they did all that."

"In case she grew up, and decided to usurp the throne in revenge," Montmorency gave as an answer. "It does happen, especially given what happened."

He looked over at Montmorency, a darkening expression on his face. "And that gives them the right?"

The blonde girl sweated and did not reply.

"Darling, please. I don't like it any more than you do, but if we do something rash, we'll be jeopardizing not only Tabitha's life, but her mother's as well. After all, they most likely have the key to rescuing her mind."

He struck the nearby wall with the meaty part of his hand. The mansion itself seemed to shake from the impact. "This really sucks," he said with a huff.

Kirche could only nod in sad agreement. "I'm certain it would make Tabitha very happy to know you feel so strongly." With little effort, the Germanian tugged and dragged Ranma into sitting on the same couch as her.

He crossed his arms over his chest, blowing out another breath, still seething. "So, now what?"

Tabitha entered the living room, her face tight as if in pain.

Kirche was first to speak. "You have a new order." It wasn't a question.

The blue-hair girl nodded.

"Well, then, I'll help you with it."

"Me, too," Ranma added.

"…I guess I'll come along as well," Montmorency said unenthused.

Tabitha shook her head. Pointed at Ranma. "Too dangerous."

"Hey, don't give me that!" he snapped. "I told you before if you need help, I'll come give you a hand!"

Kirche looked at him, bewildered. "When did you—"

"Ragdorian Lake."

The room fell silent.

A bit of sweat broke out on Montmorency's forehead. "Your mission… is at Ragdorian Lake?"

Tabitha nodded slowly before looking at Ranma again. "Too dangerous."

"Doing what?"

She glanced at Montmorency, then spoke. "Eliminate the Water Spirit."

"Wh-wh-what!" she cried out in shock. "You're going to kill the Water Spirit? For what!"

"Floodings."

Montmorency was about to say something when she paused, as if reminded of something. "Oh, that would explain it."

"What would?" Kirche asked.

"The water levels. I remember thinking something about was wrong… they were too high, but at the time…" She glanced at Ranma, then made her face sterner as she turned back to Tabitha. "Anyway! We can't just go about destroying the Water Spirit! Do you know how many people are dependent upon her?"

"No, and I really don't care," Kirche replied, completely disinterested. "I say we reduce her to steam and go home."

Montmorency puckered her lips as if she bit into a lemon. "...let me try to negotiate with her, find out the problem."

The redhead's eyes narrowed. "Did you forget what happened last night?"

"No, and it didn't make sense then!" Montmorency snapped before composing herself. She held up the sheets of paper she was writing on earlier. "But I've been going over it all day, and I think I know why it attacked us."

"You do?" Ranma asked, overriding whatever Kirche was about to say. "Why?"

"Because she was after the curse, and you stupidly agreed to let her have it!"

Ranma stared blankly at the blonde mage. "I did what?"

* * *

Louise sighed, sitting at her desk, mind _not_ on the notes before her.

It was so _boring_, sitting in her room by herself. Mostly because all the exciting stuff was happening in another country without her, if Ranma's feelings were anything to go by.

Ever since he woke up or something, he had been going through a number of feelings. One made her think of her mother – which she properly shuddered over until the feeling passed. Another feeling made her think of the time she got mixed up in a game with the Princess, and found herself trapped by her own words. Now, he was buzzing excitement, just like how he was buzzing the night Fouquet tried to steal the Staff of Destruction.

Which was a good sign he was about to do something stupid and/or dangerous… again.

He did have a point, though; danger certainly did beat boredom.

"I wish something would happen," Louise groaned to herself, leaning back in her chair.

There was a light knock at her room door, making her sit up with a frown. It was after dark; who could be coming to see her at this time?

Getting up, she opened the door to see a hooded person carrying a staff on the other side. "Who are you?"

The hooded person held a finger to her lips. "Please Louise, let me in."

Surprised, Louise opened the door enough for the mystery girl to come in. Once the door closed, the girl with the hood spoke a few words, then waved her staff around the room. Magic coursed through the room layering against the walls and windows of Louise's room.

"A Silencing spell?" Louise asked.

The girl pulled back her hood, drawing a gasp of shock from the strawberry blonde. "Y-your Highness…"

Princess Henrietta smiled. "It's been a long time, Louise."

Immediately, Louise dropped to her knees. "I'm very honored you remember me, even though it's been many years ago since I was your playmate."

"Please, Louise. Stand up."

Reluctantly, Louise obeyed the order, but kept her face downturned, not wanting to look up at the Princess disrespectfully. "Your Highness, to what honor does such a lowly servant like I owe to this nocturnal visit?"

"Don't be like that, Louise," Henrietta said with a hint of exasperation. "Though, truthfully, I'm in trouble, and you're the only person I can turn to."

* * *

Montmorency cursed herself as she slowly made her way to the lakeshore, or where the water levels sat at now. The lake was definitely overflowing, ruining the land for agriculture and flooding out local villages. She saw some house had already been submerged.

Everyone had better be grateful for her. Had it not been in her family's best interests, she would have likely ignored the situation and return home as quickly as possible. She hated fighting, and danger made her skin break out.

She too a deep breath before beginning. Producing a small yellow frog bespeckled with black dots from her pouch, she held it in the palm of her hand.

"All right Robin, I'm going to need you to find an old friend."

The frog nodded slightly, croaking in her palm.

Out came a silver needle, which she used to stab her fingertip. She sucked in a small breath as pain struck such a delicate part of her body. Immediately after the needle's withdrawal, a ruby ball of blood began well from the wound. She smeared the frog's back with her bleeding wound, then healed up the injury with a small spell.

"Since she knows me, she should know you as well. Please, Robin, in the name of the great spirits of the dead, find the Water Spirit and tell her that I wish to speak with her, as per our alliance allows. Do you understand?"

Robin nodded again. Turning around in Montmorency's palm, it sprang into the water below.

She released a tense breath. Now, all she had to do was wait. And pray Ranma didn't do something foolish, like run out in the open while the Water Spirit was present and get them both killed.

* * *

"Is this a good idea?" Ranma whispered as he, Kirche and Tabitha stood hiding behind trees and bushes.

"We need to exercise extreme caution, Partner," Derflinger said quietly. "Should the Water Spirit capture you again—"

Ranma sighed. "I know. If it catches me, I might really die this time." He glanced over at Montmorency fidgeting in place. "I just have to make certain it doesn't catch me, then."

"Reckless, and endangering yourself needlessly."

"If that spirit wants to fight, I don't have much choice, do I?"

"Let us hope it doesn't come to that."

Ranma glanced over at Tabitha, who was preparing a wind bubble to catch Montmorency in, should the spirit attack without provocation. Next to her, Kirche looked resolute, her wand held in hand.

She probably _wanted_ the Water Spirit to attack without provocation.

The Germanian glanced in his direction, smiled, then returned her eyes back to the lake, her expression stern once again.

He took a breath, bouncing a little on the balls of his feet, loosening up.

They were as ready as they were going to be. All they needed to do was wait and hope nothing happened. Like the Water Spirit killing them all.

* * *

After fifteen minutes, a halo of light bubbled up from beneath the water's surface thirty yards away, heralding the appearance of the formless mass that was the Water Spirit. Soon, the blob of water took shape, mirroring that of Montmorency.

A large, translucent, naked Montmorency.

The blonde didn't like that, but kept her tongue still.

"Water Spirit," Montmorency began. "I am a Montmorency Margarita La Fère de Montmorency. User of water, member of the lineage of old oath. I have put my blood on my familiar to help you remember. If you remember, answer in the way and words that we understand."

The Water Spirit's face took on a multitude of expressions before settling into a blank mask.

"I remember you," the Water Spirit said. "Has the male accompanying you come to fulfill his agreement?"

Montmorency frowned. This was going to be tricky. Answer wrongly, and there was no telling what would happen.

"He seeks to understand your words, what he seeks to provide you with." Montmorency bit her lip. "For he has no understanding of our world, our customs. He is but a wayfarer, trapped in a world alien to his own."

The Water Spirit seemed to ponder this, its expression shifting, sliding into one another without distinction. It stilled, looking serene.

"Sixty-one thousand, eight hundred and twenty moons past, another spirit of water had disappeared from this land. Yesterday, a fragment of its being spoke within my waters, seeking freedom from its imprisonment, bound by the tools of the nothing. Its power supped upon by many, too weak to return on its own, it chose to divide itself, to seek a return to its home in this land's waters once more."

"Water Spirit, the male had recently gained a magical ability that changes his gender in the presence of water. Would this be the other water spirit's power?"

"Yes," the Water Spirit replied.

Okay. Theory confirmed. "How would we then remove the spirit's fragment from the male?"

"Extract all water from his body."

A chill went through Montmorency. Extracting all the water out of Ranma's body would almost certainly end in tragedy.

"WHAT!"

…just like this situation was going to end in tragedy, Montmorency thought in numb horror as Ranma came running out, a mix of fright and indignation on his face.

"Are you out of your mind! I came here looking for a way to get cured of this stupid curse, not to be turned into beef jerky!"

"Ranma! You idiot!" the blonde hissed, her fingers angrily twitching to throttle the pigtailed martial artist unconscious.

The Water Spirit's attention turned towards Ranma. Its expressions shifted several times before settling on a smiling expression.

"I don't know what you're laughing at! I didn't ask for this when I went to Jusenkyo and I sure as hell didn't ask to be transported into another world! I want a cure to this thing! And then learn some way to get home!"

The Water Spirit looked at Ranma, its face shifting through a gamut of expressions.

Most of them, angry.

Then it went to a neutral setting.

"You are indeed foolish."

"Hey!" Ranma snapped back.

Montmorency held her breath, legs tensing to run.

"Accomplish one task for me and I may accept that foolishness as proof of sincerity."

Montmorency blinked. She was absolutely certain they were all going to either die or get into a huge fight with the Water Spirit, neither of which, she wanted any part of.

"What kind of task are you talking about?" Ranma asked, arms folded in superiority.

"Thirty months before the moon's crossing, thieves had stolen into my palace without my knowing and took a treasure of mine. It is called the Ring of Andvari, and I have began searching for it. Recover it and return it to me and I will accept that as proof of sincerity."

Thirty months before the moon's crossing… that would be two years ago, Montmorency though before taking a pause at the item stolen. "The Ring of Andvari? I think I've heard of it before."

Ranma looked at the blonde girl. "You have?"

"Yes… if I'm not mistaken, it gives false life to the dead."

Ranma's face stretched into disbelief with a little horror mixed in. "False life? Like… it turns dead people into zombies?"

"That is not entirely incorrect," the Water Spirit said. "However, because I do not understand the concept of death, I cannot understand your description. It is not a mere magical artifact, but the embodiment of 'Strength of the Water.' It does not simply give false life; it enslaves those under its thrall."

Ranma shivered.

"You were searching for it?" Montmorency asked.

"Yes. I increased the water in order to accomplish this task."

"Hey!" Ranma shouted, making Montmorency cringe in fear of angering the Water Spirit. "Don't you know you're flooding people out of their houses when you do that!"

"Even if I must submerge this continent, I will recover the Ring."

Ranma paled. "What! That's… that's just crazy! You're willing to drown everyone just for a stupid ring!"

"Yes. It is my most prized possession."

He made a disgusted face. "Guh!"

The Water Spirit ignored this and continued speaking. "Return the Ring of Andvari to me, and you may yet learn that which you desire most." The Water Spirit swelled, its shape collapsing into a blobbular form, before condensing into the feminine girl with a long braid that sort of resembled Ranma. "Though unyoking the fragment from the emptiness that binds it will suffice as well a sign of your proof of sincerity."

Ranma made a face. "Why didn't you tell me that first? I mean, what do I have to do to 'unyoke' the fragment?"

"Break the contract that binds you to your Master."

Ranma blinked, as Montmorency covered her mouth in unthinkable shock. "But… um…" The pigtailed martial artist scratched the back of his head. "I thought the only way to break that Contract was to… die."

"You have until the end of your life to recover the Ring of Andvari," the Water Spirit said simply, smiling as she did so.


	10. Worlds Apart

**Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi. Familiar of Zero (Zero no Tsukaima) is owned by Noboru Yamaguchi. All rights reserved.**

**Zero Interface**  
Chapter 10  
Worlds Apart

"Rise and shine boy!"

Ranma was only dimly aware of the sudden weightlessness that came from being thrown over someone's shoulder when his fighting reflexes kicked into gear. He twisted his body into a proper placement as he sailed through the air, eyes already marking their landing territory. Feet and legs cushioned his land, sliding easily into a ready stance with his hands open, holding in a defensive position.

It was so natural to him that Ranma still hadn't fully awakened yet when the first blows came flooding in. He parried and countered the offense with an elbow, pushing the attacker back long enough to take a little air for himself and lash out at the meaty thigh. The kick was deflected, an open palm strike coming in for his trouble. Ranma whipped his body almost parallel to the ground, catching himself with his hands as he spun his legs around in a tight circle, smashing his foot into the burly chest of the attacker, forcibly driving them back.

As Ranma came up, he noticed just who was attacking him. And he blinked.

"Pop?"

"You're open!" Genma cried out, grabbing Ranma by the lapels of his shirt and sending him flying towards a small pond. The young martial artist barely had time to curse before he splashed down into the water.

Only it started to smother him. Tendrils of black burst out from his chest, binding his arms and legs, letting him sink further and further and further into the dark depths of the water. Ranma continued to struggle, resist, but to no avail. His body felt heavier and heavier, his strength being sapped. He shook and fought still, only for what felt like hands touching his down in the black.

He couldn't see, just feel. His left hand began to itch, and the pressure intensified. Hands began drawing down his arms, a cold warmth at his back. Something was happening.

"Darling…"

He grunted, struggled.

"Darling…"

He didn't know what was going on, but he wasn't about to let it win!

"Darling…"

He threw his hands apart, roaring in determination.

"Kyaa!"

He blinked. He wasn't in watery darkness. In fact, it was Louise's bedroom. He sat up to find Kirche splay-legged on the floor, her eyes wide and a hand to her chest as her breathing was shallow.

He yawned, waving to the Germanian. "Um, hey."

"That must have been some dream," Kirche replied, getting to her feet. "You almost took my head off there."

"Er, sorry," he said, feeling somewhat sheepish.

Kirche waved it off. "So, what were you dreaming about?"

Ranma quirked his mouth a bit before replying. "Just sparring with Pop back home."

Kirche gave him a strange look. Ranma shrugged. "What can I say? He didn't hold back."

She reluctantly nodded in acceptance. After learning about the Cat Fist, she could almost believe anything Ranma would say about his father. Which would undoubtedly lower her opinion of him as it were, assuming Ranma ever decided to talk about anything pertaining to his own history. "Where did Louise head off to?"

"Hmm? Wait a minute; what time is it?"

"It's close to eight."

Ranma made a face. "That late?"

"You did seem preoccupied on the way back to the Academy last night."

Which was true – after all, it wasn't everyday he was given the option of either dying now or let millions of innocent people die later because you have no idea of where to find one silly old ring. The only clue he was able to get in the latter case was so useless, he might as well not have any clues.

Cromwell. That was all the Water Spirit had for him after some extensive questioning. No idea if it was the name of the leader, one of the thugs involved, or even someone's pet. It could have been a first or last name. There could be ten thousand Cromwells out there. It might not even be a person, but a place.

Kirche, Tabitha and Montmorency never heard of a Cromwell. The butler at Tabitha's mansion had no leads. And Ranma wasn't about to ask if the King of Gallia had any ideas; he might be too tempted to straighten the monarch out over the entire mess he delivered to Tabitha five years ago.

With no leads, they party had opted to return to the Academy late last night; the girls had already missed a full day of classes as it were due to his recuperation. Besides, Ranma was bouncing around some ideas in his head that he picked up during his trip to Gallia. If he was right, he might be able to get Louise's Void element out in the open. And who knows, maybe the Headmaster knew of a Cromwell or two. Wouldn't that be fortunate?

"Didn't think Louise would just let me sleep in, though. Especially since I'm usually up way before her."

"Mmm…. Who knows what she's thinking?" Kirche then smiled seductively, kneeling down to his level. "But that just means we have a lot more time to ourselves, mm Darling?" She closed the gap between them, her lips on a collision course for his.

She kissed nothing but air. Kirche blinked, finding Ranma, clad in just underwear and a tank top, having already crossed over Louise's bed and looping behind her to retrieve his clothes from his book bag.

"Darling?"

He was dressed in the blink of an eye, strapped on Derflinger and was already making his way over to the door. "Time's a-wasting. Gotta go find out about this 'Cromwell' guy and then find Louise so we can run through a few new ideas. See you later in class." In a second, he was already gone, with Kirche still rooted where she knelt.

She sank back on her bottom, her face screwed up in confusion. "Was I just… rejected?"

She shook her head. "Couldn't be…"

* * *

On the other side of the door, Ranma wiped his forehead with one hand. "Safe," he breathed. Then he took a quick jog down the hallway until he reached the window at its end. A quick flick of the wrist, and it opened for him to pop out of it. The wind felt good as he fell three floors down to the grassy earth below, landing lightly on his feet.

Time to see the Headmaster before he met up with Louise.

* * *

"Will you be returning to the castle soon?" Osmond said, sipping tea from his cup.

The immaculately dressed Princess Henrietta nodded, her saucer in one hand, the tea cup held in place by the other. "I only intend to wait for everyone to enter class before exiting the hospitality of your care. I wouldn't want to draw more attention than I've already have."

Osmond nodded. "Of course, Princess. It is no problem."

Of course, the headmaster would have preferred that Ranma was to have accompanied Louise on such a mission. However, while he didn't know the specifics, he could guess that time would be of the essence, and regrettably the otherworlder had his own priorities. Truthfully, Osmond didn't know if Tristain could deal with another one of his exploits, given some of the things he learned by accident.

Still, he was Gandalfr, and the idea of Louise being a Void mage… Again, it brought about his apprehension. If Louise was really a Void mage, would it mean she was destined to bring about great change like the Founder, or was it a sign of impending doom?

* * *

Two Imperial Guards from the palace stood outside the Headmaster's office, one each posted in front of the double doors that lead into it. As nobles, they had a sworn duty to uphold to the Crown; in this case, they were to not allow any visitors passage to the office. Armed with specially designed silvery wands that were as hard as steel and stern expressions, they cut an impressive, intimidating air about them, which was more than enough to dissuade the average Tristainian.

Ranma came up the hallway, saw the two guards standing there and headed for them. Upon seeing him and the sword strapped to his back, the guards stepped into the hallway, blocking off the way, their wands drawn and pointed.

Ranma held up his hands. "Whoa, hey guys, I'm just looking for Old Man Osmond. Is he in his office?"

The guards looked at him incredulously, then at each other puzzled before looking at him expectedly. "Leave," one of them commanded.

Ranma frowned a bit. "…um, what? Look, I just want to talk with the old man about something."

Again, the guards looked at each other in disbelief before shooting him a warning glare. "We said, 'Leave,'" the other guard announced coldly, a dark glint in his eye.

The average person would have scurried off at that, for fear of his life. One did not simply agitate the Imperial Guard. Not if they valued their life.

Ranma brushed off the glare with an exasperated sigh. "Look, I really need to see the old man, so if you could just—"

"Get lost, commoner," the first guard snorted in dismissal, his wand lowering a fraction, though he remained ready. "The Headmaster has far more important business other than to listen to a ratty vagabond like you."

Ranma's eye twitched. "R-ratty?"

"Are you deaf as well as stupid?" the second guard asked contemptuously. "There's nothing for you here at all, so run along. Before you anger us."

Ranma's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Is that so…"

"Very," the first guard hammered out in words.

"Huh… well I suppose I should get going, then, huh?"

"Yes," the second guard replied. "You should, in fact, get going."

"Well, if you insist…" Ranma made to turn away, but suddenly pointed at something down the hall from where he came. "Hey, you see that?"

Both guards glanced past Ranma down the hall. "See wh—"

=TWHACK=

One guard's head snapped back sharply, courtesy of a backhand slamming into his face, knocking him off of his feet. He started to fall over backwards just as the other guard realized what had happened. Before he could react, though, Ranma had already pivoted on the balls of his feet, deflecting the drawn wand to smash him in the face with the back of his closed fist. He caught both guards before they hit the ground, carefully depositing them on the floor against the wall.

"Be thankful I'm a nice guy, jerks…" he muttered in annoyance.

Nobility, feh… if there was at least one noble that treated him like a human being without having to prove himself, he just might kiss them.

* * *

Osmond and Henrietta were quietly enjoying their tea when the doors suddenly swung open, much to their surprise. "Hey, Old Man!"

The headmaster relaxed and sighed. "Oh, it's only you, Ranma." Then he straightened up. "What happened to the guards at the door?"

"Eh, they fell asleep," Ranma said with a wave-off of his hand. "You really need better guards, Old Man."

Osmond frowned deeply. Imperial Guards did _not_ just fall asleep. Meanwhile, Henrietta looked at Ranma, puzzled, before turning to Osmond.

"Who is this?" she asked.

"Ah… This is Louise's… familiar."

Ranma cringed. "Geez, I'm not a—"

"Is that true?" Henrietta asked, eyes wide as she stood from her seat. "In that case, I'm honored to make your acquaintance, er, Ranma, is it?"

The pigtailed boy opened his mouth, then closed it. "Uh, yeah. That's right. Ranma. Ranma Saotome."

"That is a rather unusual name, but regardless."

She held out her hand to him, palm side down.

Ranma looked at the hand, then at Osmond, confusion written on his face.

The old headmaster looked at Ranma for a moment before understanding came. "It's quite all right, Ranma. She's giving you permission to kiss her."

Ranma stared at Osmond, then Henrietta, then back at Osmond. "Are you serious?"

"It's fine," Henrietta said with a smile. "I give you full permission with this hand."

Ranma blinked, then scratched his cheek, a self-conscious blush touching his face lightly. "I… you're all right with that sort of thing? I mean…"

"Really, it's fine. I wish to get to know something about the person whom my childhood friend summoned."

He paused for a moment. "You didn't say 'familiar.'"

Henrietta shook her head slightly. "Louise told me about you last night. And about how that sort of thing irritates you."

Ranma scratched his head, taken aback by her statement. "Wow… I'm so used to people not even thinking about that sort of thing… I'm… I'm kind of surprised." He wavered a moment before he took a deep breath. "Well… okay… I guess… Just… just this once," he spoke, exhaling as he straightened up, loosened his shoulders. He cleared his throat. "Sorry… never done this sort of thing before."

Henrietta covered her mouth to suppress a giggle. So much nervous energy… "I'm certain you'll do just fine."

He finally stopped rolling his shoulders, inhaled. "A-all right…" He exhaled. "H-here goes…"

He stepped forward, took her hand.

And kissed Henrietta on the mouth.

Henrietta froze with the warm, moist pressure against her lips, both her and Osmond's eyes flying wide open in stunned silence.

Ranma pulled away after a second, looking wholly embarrassed. "…okay, I did it." He glanced back at Henrietta, trying not to look her directly in the face. "So, what did you want to know?"

Henrietta's eyes crossed slightly as her legs gave out. Had it not been for Ranma's lightning-fast reflexes, she would have collapsed to the floor in an unsightly heap.

"…is she all right?" Ranma asked worriedly as he held the unresponsive Henrietta aloft.

Osmond just stared at Ranma. "…you were supposed to kiss her hand…"

Ranma looked at the headmaster blankly before his face tried its best to match the red shade of his shirt. "Buh?"

"Wow, Partner," Derflinger said. "You never cease to amaze me! You are truly the greatest familiar to ever walk this land!"

Ranma just tried to cover his face with both hands. However, he forgot that he was still holding Henrietta in his hands and buried his face in between her impressive breasts. He squawked, realizing what he had just done, and almost dropped her in the process.

Part of Osmond was horrified at the undignified treatment of Her Highness. Part of him felt… envious. Ah, the folly of youth…

"You are spectacular, Partner! I've never seen a familiar actually kiss a princess before, let alone _snuggle_ her in such a manner before. If I were human, I just might be jealous of you."

Derflinger's words took a few seconds to register with Ranma. And the look of horror on his face was daunting. "Pr-Pr-_Princess_?" he squeaked.

"Of course, Partner. Didn't you notice the tiara on her head?"

Ranma froze solidly in panic, Henrietta slipping free from nerveless fingers.

"Princess!" Osmond cried out, launching himself headfirst to intercept her Highness before she met the floor. However, his back made an audible popping sound and he cried out in pain, tumbling underneath the falling princess. Who slammed right into said injured back, turning Osmond blue with pain. "My back…" he whimpered, his hands and feet stiffly slapping the floor in search of relief, while Henrietta laid atop of him, blissfully unaware of what was going on around her.

Ranma sank to the floor. "Hey, Derf?"

"Yes, Partner?"

"They don't execute guys around here for kissing a princess on the mouth, do they?"

"It's been known to happen."

"Aw man…"

* * *

"As you should know from yesterday, my name is Kaita the Gust," a young-looking mage with long raven black hair spoke in a cold arrogant manner. While he seemed outwardly attractive, his mannerisms and attitude left everyone feeling disquieted by his presence. He felt somewhat greasy and there was hidden contempt in his actions.

The instructor went on. "Before we were so rudely interrupted, we were about to discuss which element is the most powerful." His hawkish eyes roamed the desks until they lighted upon a head of red. "Zerbst," he called out. "Can you tell me which element is the most powerful?"

Kirche didn't reply, her thoughts elsewhere. This did not please the teacher at all.

"Zerbst!"

She drew her attention from the nether and back to the classroom. "Yes, teacher?"

His lips drew a thin lip, his jaw slowly clenching. "I said," he almost spat. "Tell me what is the most powerful element in magic."

"I would imagine Void," she said with a straight face.

Kaita stared at her, his brows furrowing. "I'm not asking for something of legends; deal in practical terms!"

She smiled. "Then in that case, fire. A hot enough passion, a hot enough flame, will burn even water."

There were some gasps of surprise at that. Kaita, for his part, looked at her incredulously before his face drew upon something sinister. "Is that how it is…"

She nodded with a smile. "Positive."

He smiled darkly. "Well, in that case, I would like to see your hottest fire."

Kirche looked at him with suspicion. "Are you certain, Professor? You won't merely be singed."

"I'm certain. Or is the flaming red hair of the Zerbst family merely there for decoration?"

Everything jovial about Kirche was swallowed up in a moment, replaced only by a cold expression. "If you insist."

Students became nervous as Kirche slowly stood from her desk, wand held out. Many both around her and in the front of the class started to scatter. Almost no one had ever seen this side of Kirche before, and therefore they had no idea just what would happen. And fewer were willing to have a front row seat to whatever _did_ happen.

"Give me your best shot," Kaita demanded, his wand held slightly away from his hip.

"Fine," Kirche replied, letting words flow from her lips. "Fireball," she spoke, finalizing the spell and letting it rip straight along a collision course with the arrogant teacher. Who smirked as he spoke words, too, before striking out with his magic right into the heart of the fireball.

* * *

"You can transmute earth into virtually any metal that comes to mind," Mrs. Chevreuse said, gesturing with her wand at the stones on her desk. "Different element combinations lead to different—"

=BOOM=

"Gyaa!" Chevreuse threw her wand out the window in a blind panic as the plump mage jumped over her desk and ran as far away from the source of the explosion as she could. Students looked startled as the teacher hid in the very back of the classroom, cowering behind a brown-haired student.

"Pr-professor Chevreuse," the girl Katie asked, unnerved like everyone else. "Sh-shouldn't you go see about that? It sounded like it happened next door."

"No! I-it's all right," the teacher summed up, still trembling. "Probably just… an experiment gone wrong. No need to worry about it." She began to chuckle nervously.

The screams of "Fire!" and students stampeding out of the classroom next door did nothing to alleviate anyone's fears.

* * *

"No, I'm afraid I have no idea about any one named Cromwell," Osmond said, holding his back gingerly. It still ached painfully, once again reminding him that he was no spring chicken. "I apologize."

"Eh, it's all right," Ranma said, waving it off. "I didn't really figure it'd be that easy." He glanced over at Henrietta, who was lying on a couch close to the Headmaster's desk and felt thirty different forms of shame roll up on him all at once. He made certain to keep a careful distance away from her, having just discovered who she was. How on earth was he going to explain kissing a _Princess_? And of his own volition, too?

"Um, is she going to be fine?" Ranma asked worriedly. "Cause you know, I really didn't mean to piss her off or anything."

Osmond opened his mouth to say something when his office doors where thrown back , revealing a panicking teacher. "H-H-Headmaster! Professor Kaita's room is on fire!"

The old man's eyes widened. "What?"

"Professor Colbert's down there right now, along with others putting out the blaze!"

"The students! Are they all right?"

"They're safe! Most of them fled the room immediately when it happened."

Osmond breathed easier. "And Professor Kaita?"

"…a little crispy, but alive. He's being taken care of by Professor Chamberlain."

Osmond sighed. "All right. I'll be there in a moment."

The instructor nodded rapidly and ran back out the office. Then came back in perplexed.

"Headmaster, there are couple of nobles lying on the floor outside your office, bleeding from their noses."

"They'll be fine," Osmond spoke, shooting Ranma a look. Ranma was looking around the room, finding everything that was _not_ Osmond interesting.

"O-oh, okay. I'll let everyone know you're coming." And again, the teacher ran out of the room.

Osmond turned to Ranma with a sigh. "You beat up Her Royal Highness's Imperial Guards."

Ranma stubbornly folded his arms. "It's not like they were very helpful or something, throwing their weight around like they owned the place. They didn't even tell me you have company."

Osmond exhaled, holding the bridge of his nose along with his back. Then he released his face to look at Ranma squarely.

"Understand, this world, while unimaginably different from your own I'd wager, still has its own order and rules. While you may not appreciate them, there are many, many others that do. Breaking such protocol just because it doesn't suit you will bring misfortune upon everyone." His lips were a tight line. "And, with that, enemies that will likely haunt your friends and their descendants for a long, long time.

He grumbled. "Geez, why not just tell me to bend over and lube up?"

Osmond shook his head. "I do not wish to exile you from this Academy, but do not force my hand. Bring trouble to the Academy, and I will have to dismiss both you and Miss Valliére."

"What!" Ranma shouted. "That's not fair!"

"Your actions reflect upon Miss Valliére. Please remember that."

"Kuh! Fine, Old Man… but don't expect me to lay down and let some blowhard walk all over me."

"I won't," Osmond replied, looking a little more upbeat. "Though, I do implore you to do your best to not brazenly throw _your_ weight around." With that, he started to head for the double doors of his office. A few steps later, he turned back to Ranma "By the way, please look after the Princess while I'm away, seeing that her guards decided upon a terrible time to take a nap."

Ranma grimaced. "Yeah, yeah… sure thing."

"Good." Osmond reached the door and placed his hand on its knob. "And, by way, don't try to take advantage of the Princess while she's asleep – I _will_ know."

"Wh-wh-what!"

Osmond smirked under his beard as he exited the room. One problem down… several more to go.

* * *

"Geez, what kind of guy does he think I am, anyway?" Ranma grumbled after Osmond left the office, trying to get his face to cool down from the rush of embarrassment.

A groan from the couch caught his attention. Princess Henrietta shifted a few times, her eyes fluttering open. She grunted, looking around the room with a confused expression on her face. Finding herself lying on the Headmaster's couch, she sat up, blinking a bit and holding her head.

"What happened? She wondered aloud, her eyes roaming across the room, only to find a strange sight.

Ranma on his knees, with his hands and forehead on the floor.

"I'm really sorry about all this, Princess. I didn't know, honest."

Henrietta blinked again, staring at Ranma's prostrate form before smiling a little. "Please, get up. I'm certain you didn't mean any harm, so there's nothing to apologize for."

Slowly, Ranma did lift his head, a pensive look on his face.

"Please, have a seat." She gestured for him to join her on the couch. "It makes me sad to see someone who aids my childhood friend to be so reticent."

"…you sure? I really want to understand this one. You're offering me to sit with you on that couch right there."

She smiled honestly. "Yes, I am. Please, sit with me."

Ranma looked away for a second, a blush unwillingly coming to his cheek. "All right. Okay." He took his seat on the couch, which drew a smile of approval from the Princess.

"It's so good to meet you finally. Louise has told me a number of things about you since she had summoned you to Tristain."

He scratched the back of his head. "Well, it's been a pretty new experience for me, I have to admit. I mean… wow, a princess."

"Please, call me Henrietta."

"Ah, okay, Henrietta."

She nodded. "Thank you. Whatever became of Headmaster Osmond?"

"Had to go put out a fire," Ranma admitted. "Some kind of accident."

Her eyes widened as she covered her mouth.

Ranma held up his hands. "Well, far as I know, everyone's okay, and teachers were already down there putting it out."

Henrietta nodded slowly. "Ah, I see…"

Ranma nodded. Then he looked at her. White gown made from fine cloth, with billowing sleeves that extended down to her wrists. A silver tiara with sapphire blue gems inlaid into its body was perched in her chestnut brown hair which touched her shoulders. Even the dark blue mantle wrapped around her shoulders was secured with more sapphire gems, it all screamed royalty.

How on earth did he miss that?

That kiss popped up in his head again, and he reddened significantly. Stupid…

"Er…"

Ranma blinked, finding that Henrietta was turning scarlet as well. Realizing that he had probably just been staring at her, he looked away, shamefaced. "Sorry, I was thinking of asking you something, but you probably wouldn't know of anyone by that name, either, I'm guessing."

"What name?"

He risked a glance back at her. "Well, there's this guy named Cromwell. I'm currently looking for him because of a ring stolen from the Water Spirit at Ragdorian Lake."

Henrietta stilled. "Ragdorian Lake?" she echoed.

"You heard of it?"

"Of course… it's said that pledging an oath before the waters of the Spirit of Oaths would make the oath unbreakable."

Ranma cocked his head to one side. "The Water Spirit can do that?"

Henrietta nodded assertively.

"Huh…didn't know that…"

"So, you said that someone stole a ring from the Spirit of Oaths."

"Yeah. Something called the Ring of Andvari."

Henrietta looked away as she recalled from her memory. "I've… heard about a ring like that. It's supposed to be a powerful water artifact, if I'm not mistaken."

"Yeah. From what the Water Spirit said, it's something that can control people, even if they're dead, and something about the Strength of Water."

The Princess closed her eyes in contemplation. "That sounds about—"

Her eyes shot open, a hand going up to cover her mouth. "Did you say someone named Cromwell was involved with its theft?"

Ranma straightened up, an anticipatory feeling flowing up his spine. "Yeah… You heard of him?"

The Princess looked off to her side in present fear, her hand curling into a fist. She held it to her mouth nervously. "There is a rumor I heard from the Cardinal last week, but… this couldn't possibly be a coincidence."

"What? What's going on?"

Henrietta pinched her lips together, body radiating distress. "Louise…"

Ranma blinked. "What does Louise have to do with this Cromwell guy?"

Henrietta regarded Ranma squarely. "I asked her to perform a favor for me last night. A mission to retrieve something of great importance."

"Huh. Okay."

She drew upon herself. "However, even with the Captain of the Griffin Knights and her fellow student, if there's a connection between the Ring of Andvari and the rumor…" She turned to Ranma quickly, taking his hands into hers in a tight grip. "Will you go help Louise on her mission?"

"Huh?"

Henrietta released his hands turned away from him. "I had a terrible feeling about it this morning, but Louise assured me that she'd be fine without you and time was of the essence, so she couldn't wait for your return."

At that, Ranma perked an eyebrow. "What do you mean 'she couldn't wait for my return'? I've been here since late last night. I saw her when I came in."

Henrietta looked confused. "But why did she tell me you were still away this morning?"

Ranma had a sinking feeling he wasn't going to like Louise very much after this.

* * *

Classes in the Northern Tower had been cancelled for the day.

The classroom Professor Kaita was lecturing in was black with soot. Stone had been warped by fire; much of everything not fortified with Square-class resistance spells was barely ashes. The windows themselves had been shattered, either by heat or pressure, the resulting burst of fresh air created angry, lashing scars on even the reinforced stone outside of the room.

It was a miracle that no one was hurt. Save for Professor Kaita, of course. Given testimony from the students in his care, however, it seemed he literally _asked_ for it, with full knowledge of what could happen.

And he created an even bigger mess in the process.

Osmond wanted to stroke his temple. "Whose element is the best/strongest" has always been inevitable among nobles. After all, no one wants to have an affinity with a weak element, and many a mage spend long hours honing their skill. It was only natural one would crow about his mastered affinity being better than all others.

Which also meant things like this could happen, if one bit off more than he could chew. Which was exactly the case here.

Osmond wanted to think this incident would curb the elemental-boasting game for a little while, reminding others that, despite being proud and great nobles, hubris would bring about their downfall if egos were not carefully monitored. However, for now, he had to deal with those involved in the incident, and just hoped to avoid a repeat or a campaign for petty revenge.

From either side.

Which brought him to the other half of the reason for the fire.

Kirche Augusta Frederica Von Anhalt Zerbst.

The professor should have really known better than to goad beautiful women. Not only did they make deadly mages, they were also creatures of pride.

* * *

Siesta sighed as she tended to her duties in the kitchen. It had been almost two days since she last saw Ranma. The black-haired maid wondered what became of him. Louise was still at the Academy, so where was he? He didn't just forsake her, did he?

"Hey, Siesta, we got another set of breakfast dishes to take out!" one of the servants said to her, carrying piping hot chickens on silver platters.

"Be right with you," she replied. Ranma or no Ranma, she still had her work to do. In another few weeks, she was set to return home in Tarbeles for a two-week vacation. She really wanted to see the pigtailed martial artist before then. Maybe she could—

"Hey, Siesta!"

The maid looked up to see a very familiar face. "Ranma!" she cried out happily. "You're back!"

"Hey, yeah… about that, I really got to be going somewhere else right now, so could you pack me up some things to eat? From what I hear, it's going to be a long trip."

"Aw… and just when you got back, too."

"Eh, can't really help it. Got to, um, see some people."

"Okay… How long will you be gone?"

Ranma began ticking off his fingers, talking to himself absently. "She said it'd take a few days to reach that Port City La Rochelle… umm… well, got some cash from her for that… hmm…" He shrugged. "Okay, just enough food for like three—ack!"

Siesta looked teary-eyed and trembling.

"Wh-wh-what!"

Her voice quavered. "Wh-who is it that you're going to see? Is… is it a girlfriend?"

"Wh-what! No! No one like that!"

"But, you've been gone for two days already…"

"Siesta, i-it's nothing like that… Just… looking for a way home, that's all. Someone I met in the last two days might be able to help me with that."

Now the maid looked saddened. "Oh… you found a way home?"

"Not yet, but if I can find a couple of things, then, maybe, yeah."

"So, does this mean you'll be leaving me pretty soon?"

"N… mmm… ye… urm… I don't know. I'm just aware that I can get back, so…"

She looked even more teary-eyed, but she visibly put on a strong face. "Ah… I see… well…"

"…"

They stood there looking awkward.

"I really would like to see where your home is," Siesta spoke up first.

Ranma looked away, embarrassed that she didn't know the full truth. "Um, it's pretty far. I really couldn't guarantee you'd be able to get back."

Siesta bit her lower lip. "Maybe… maybe it… wouldn't be so bad… if you're…"

"Um, it's probably be—"

The maid suddenly drew her arms around him, hugging him. Ranma froze, feeling her soft body snuggle against him.

"Awwww…"

Ranma's mind snapped out of his stupor to see most of the kitchen staff standing around, watching the whole scene. Including Marteau, who came forward to clap Ranma on the shoulder. Tears fell from his eyes as he spoke solemnly to the martial artist.

"Please take good care of our little Siesta," he said. He turned to Siesta who had to good grace to break off from hugging Rnama at the moment. "You, go on with him. I'm certain he'll need someone to cook for him while he's on business."

Ranma blinked as Siesta blossomed into happiness. "Thank you, sir!" She winked at Ranma. "I'll have some food ready for us quickly!"

He tried to open his mouth to say something, only to have Marteau clasp his hand in deep fervor. "Our Fist, truly, you make us all proud."

"Here, here!" everyone in the kitchen cried out. "Our Fist! Our Fist! OUR FIST!"

And with that, the head chef signaled everyone else to return to work, leaving Ranma standing there stupefied.

"What the hell just happened?" he mumbled to himself. "I just came to get some food…"

* * *

Kirche sighed, setting buckets of water on the partially-melted podium, which had a scorched plank of wood lying across it. Even she was impressed by the widespread damage done to the classroom, eyes looking up to see part of a demolished ceiling. However, she couldn't take the full credit for all of it; Professor Kaita did have a hand in things, as well.

No one told the idiot to try and _rip apart_ a fireball with Wind magic; he might as well have just scooped fire out with oily hands and flung it on the walls.

In the end, however, she was still tasked with cleaning up the mess for her part in the accident – recklessly endangering fellow students could not be so kindly overlooked, even on the account of a professor's stupidity – then attend special classes with Professor Colbert after school. In retrospect, Kirche surmised this was getting off easy, since Osmond had given her this punishment, much to the vocal resentment of Professor Kaita, who wanted her thrown out of Tristain.

Not her fault he couldn't take the heat; she did give him fair warning in advance.

Granted, she probably shouldn't – and normally wouldn't – have juiced it up as much as she did, seeing how she recently moved into Square-Class magic; however, she was a bit bothered by the scene with Ranma earlier that morning. Kaita just made it absurdly easy for her to vent her confusing frustration, insulting her family lineage. She was nothing, if not temperamental, about her personal life and family ties.

Of course, this incident might mean her time at Tristain's Academy of Magic would become limited, like all the other schools in Germania, and if she got kicked out of _this_ school…

She shook her head. This really was her last chance. Otherwise, she would be stuck having to marry that decrepit old count her parents had arranged for her last year. Imagine, a marriage devoid of personal feeling and arranged by a third-party. What utter nonsense! There should be passion! desire! in all loving relationships! What would be the purpose of getting married otherwise if those didn't exist?

The smell of stone and ash was still quite strong in her nostrils as she grabbed a broom to get to work. Kirche highly doubted she'd get cleaning done before afternoon classes began; she really wanted to ask Darling about earlier this morning. Preferably before Louise could interfere in their affairs once again.

She really had to push the limit and secure her place with Darling before someone else could move in on him. While Kirche was normally secure in her sex appeal and attraction level, the last ten days had been chipping away at her confidence, to the point that she couldn't even relax with Tabitha, and, well, if Tabitha had taken an interest in him…

She shunned the thought out of her head. She really needed to secure her place, and quickly, so she could quit worrying about matters. Now, to get him by himself…

* * *

"This is outrageous!" Kaita roared in another part of the North Tower. "That Zerbst should be removed from this Academy immediately!"

Osmond sighed. "It was a simple accident."

"Accident my ass! She deliberately caused such chaos and pandemonium in my classroom! You saw my wounds! She purposely tried to kill me! And then you cave in to that simpering Colbert who highly favors her over our own Tristainian students! What nonsense!"

"Perhaps you should cool your head, Kaita," the Headmaster spoke warningly. "After all, even you admitted you had asked her to demonstrate her 'hottest' flame."

"That's besides the point!"

"And Mr. Colbert did have a good point. Perhaps all Miss Zerbst needs is a few lessons from an experienced Fire Mage and there would be no more incidents of this nature. And besides, I've tasked her with cleaning up the remains of the classroom, so, everything is settled."

"That's a slap on the wrist for attempted murder!"

"Huh," Osmond spoke,, rubbing his beard thoughtfully. "I suppose you could see it that way."

"I know that girl," Kaita growled. "Utterly disrespectful of—"

"I suppose others could see you as… attempting to initiate a duel under the guise of education.

Kaita snapped off the rest of his words, staring at Osmond uncomprehendingly. "A 'duel?'"

"Yes, a duel. Battles between magi which are expressly forbidden on Academy grounds," Osmond replied, idly plucking a stray hair from his beard.

"Oh, now, that's—"

"Not entirely out of the question, given the way you wish to pursue this matter," the headmaster replied before patting Kaita on the shoulder. "Let it go for now; I'd hate for others to misunderstand your intentions being more than what a respectable educator such as yourself should be indulging in."

Kaita growled. "Yes, Headmaster. I will look into that for now…"

"Excellent! Then you accept my decision for Miss Zerbst to clean up the ruined classroom. Come by my office later; we shall have tea."

* * *

"Too slow, Danica!" a peach-haired girl taunted, dodging another stream of water that splashed against the corridor's wall. She turned to wave a small green book at the pursuing silver-haired girl. "Or are you afraid of getting your book wet?" she snickered with a suggestive look.

"Celeste!" Danica shouted, waving her wand erratically. "Quit taking my books!"

Celeste ignored the command and continued to run down the hall. "Let's see what today's title is… Oooh! 'Lady Aesland and the Stable Ha—"

The book suddenly disappeared from her hand.

It took Celeste a few seconds to realize that she no longer had a book in hand. Stopping her run in confusion, she turned around to see a young man in a red shirt handing a green book to the now quiet Danica.

"Aren't you guys supposed to be in class?" she heard him ask her friend.

The girl stopped her blank staring to answer him. "Um, w-well… we were, but since that Germanian girl caused a fire in the classroom, the North Tower had been… um, shut down for the rest of the day."

"Really?" he asked, surprised-seeming.

She nodded quickly, her head turning away from him slightly, while one foot began to grind a small indentation in the carpet. "Yeah. I bet they're making her clean up the mess, and then who knows what else they're going to make her do. I think she even burned the teacher."

"Huh… North Tower, huh? Okay, thanks," he said as he started to walk off.

"Ah!" He stopped moving as Danica held up a hesitant hand. "Ah… th-thank you… for my book."

He grinned at her. "No problem. Just don't shoot water all over the place, okay?"

"Ah! I-I won't!"

Celeste watched the red-shirt guy walk off, a long braid of hair hanging down his back. Meanwhile Danica hadn't moved at all, clutching her book to her chest.

Celeste snuck up on her while she was distracted, a Cheshire grin on her face. A little reaching over and—

"Isn't he wonderful?" Danica sighed happily, absently smacking Celeste in the face with the hardback book. "Just like Hugh the stable hand…"

Celeste rubbed her sensitive nose. "Isn't he a commoner?'

Danica nodded, lost in a daydream. "Mm hmm…." Then she realized something. "Ah! I don't even know his name!" Then she realized the proximity of her quarry and began to whack her with her book. "And leave my books alone!"

"Ack!" Celeste squeaked, covering her head and blindly running away from the enraged girl. While she didn't recognize the guy either, she already decided she didn't like him. And how did he make that book disappear from her hands like that?

* * *

Kirche swept slowly, trying her best to not kick up too much ash into the air. Already she had broken into coughing fits, nearly gagging at one point. "So tedious…" she commented to herself.

Forced to clean up the classroom without the aid of magic was so obnoxious. Unlike the wall rebuilding in Vestri Court, she was doing this alone, as well. No doubt Colbert had seen to it that no one else would be able to come in here to help her out, either.

Life wasn't fair sometimes…

"Wow, what a mess."

She almost dropped her broom, turning around quickly. Her face lit up. "Darling!"

"Yo," he replied nonchalantly, looking around the room. "Man, I don't recall Louise doing this much damage on my first day here…"

She dropped the broom to give him a quick hug. She felt him stiffen up in her arms, and she looked at him puzzled. "What's wrong, Darling?"

"Er… Louise is gone."

Kirche blinked. Then grinned deviously. "So, that means—"

"And she might be heading right into the guy that stole the Ring."

"…okay, I didn't expect that," Kirche replied, releasing him. "So, you're going after that Cromwell person?"

"Well, mostly Louise, since, she's on a secret mission, but yeah."

She shook her head. "What incredibly poor timing Louise has. Otherwise, I would have come with you."

"I heard," he said with a slow nod. "And Louise got such a long lead already, flying by griffin, whatever that is."

"Mmm… you could ask Tabitha. Sylphid should be more than a match for any silly griffin."

He nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I was going to look for her next."

Kirche frowned slightly at that. Ranma didn't notice as he inspected the demolished classroom. He looked impressed, too.

"I don't want Louise to get too far ahead, or she'll be in out of Port City La Rochelle before I get there."

She looked surprised. "All the way out there? Is she heading to Albion?"

Ranma opened and closed his mouth.

Kirche grinned. "You really don't know where you're going around here, do you?"

"Not really," he admitted.

"It's kind of strange, being able to speak the language, despite coming from another world, but unable to read it, too…" She changed gears. "Well, since you're in such a hurry, give me a kiss."

Ranma blinked. "Hm?"

"A kiss."

"Er…"

Now she looked at him. "Come on, Darling. It's at least two to three days to La Rochelle, and who knows how long it'll take for you to get back, and since you're just going to leave me behind…" She noticed his embarrassed look at that. "…I want to feel your lips upon mine before you go. Something to stir up the fire in my heart for you anew."

He began to back up as she drew closer to him. "Uh, r-really…"

"Come, my Darling, let us bind our hearts, taste the flames of passion and consume each other until there's nothing left."

He sweated, still backing up, not getting any further away from the Germanian. "Uh, that… sounds like a lot…"

"Give in to me, Darling…" she cooed, reaching out to touch his chest.

He skipped backwards, panic in his eyes. However, he wasn't looking where he was going as he slapped right down on a scorched plank of wood lying across the partially melted podium.

The same podium Kirche had sat two buckets of water upon.

It was like watching a comedy in slow motion. The buckets of water catapulted upward in a short arc, both of them on a collision course from Ranma. He didn't notice what had happened until the cold waters hit him, one across the torso, the other splashing down on his head. The metal bucket clanged over his head, shunting him into darkness as he stumbled about in a daze. One misstep later, his legs went flying up without permission or preparation for the rest of his body to take flight and he crashed to the floor hard.

"Darling!" Kirche cried out as she quickly, carefully, approached him. "Are you all right?" she asked as his bucket-covered head rose off the floor, a moan of pain echoing within.

Ranma jerked the bucket off his head, grumbling about "stupid spirits." However, Kirche wasn't listening.

"Darling?"

"Yeah?"

She poked at his larger-than-Montmorency's breasts then stroked his chestnut colored hair. Her eye twitched.

"Just who have you been kissing?"

Ranma blinked for a second. Panic overrode cluelessness as he jumped to his feet. "Uh… Henrietta?"

Shock took away Kirche's breath. He just admitted to two-timing her? And so brazenly!

"Who is this 'Henrietta,' Ranma?"

"Um, the Princess of Tristain, you know?"

"The Princess only stopped by yesterday."

"Yeah, and she gave Louise a secret mission last night and saw her off this morning."

She snickered. "Yes, sure. I'm certain the Princess of Tristain is solely relying on Louise, of all people, to complete a secret mission for her. Does it involve matters of the state, too?" She frowned contemptuously. "Do you take me for a fool?"

He held out his hands. "Hey, I didn't know she was a princess! She just told me to kiss her!"

Her eye twitched in annoyance. "What kind of princess lets just anyone, let alone a commoner, make out with her!"

"I don't know!" he snapped back.

There was a gasp of surprise at the doorway. Both Kirche and the girl-turned Ranma looked in that direction to see Siesta kneeling.

"Y-Your Highness! I… I didn't know you were in here!" the maid quickly said. "I-I'm so sorry to interrupt your conversation!"

"Ah… Siesta," Ranma-Henrietta spoke, drawing startled looks from Kirche and Siesta.

The latter became wide- and wet-eyed. "Your Highness… knows my name?"

"Um… er, yeah. Yeah. Ranma said that you need to meet him at the, ah, East Tower."

She bowed and scraped. "Your Highness is too kind! To remember the names of such lowly commoner as myself and Ranma…! Thank you! Thank you!" And with that, she quickly excused herself from the room.

"Hey now…" Ranma-Henrietta grumbled in retrospect. "I'm not a lowly commoner."

Kirche was numb, having seen the scene unfold before her eyes. "Darling…" she mewled in a shaken voice.

Ranma-Henrietta blinked. "Uh, like I said Kirche…"

She turned her back on him. "I don't know if I can deal with this…" she mumbled to herself in growing horror. Stealing a lover was one thing; having your lover stolen was another. Kirche could deal with either, though the latter was irritating. Having your lover stolen by the princess of the land, though… And she _commanded_ him to kiss her…

She bit on her thumb. "This… isn't good…"

"Kirche?"

She turned and stole his lips with a chaste kiss. "Sorry, but I really got to get back to cleaning. I, ah, wish you luck on your journey."

"Uh, all right," he replied, unable to come to a conclusion as his cursed body shifted and grew into that of Kirche's image. "I'll see you later, then."

Kirche didn't respond, only listened to his footsteps until she couldn't hear them anymore. Then she held still for a long moment. Looking over her shoulder to see that he was really gone, she let her concealed emotions tumble free.

She sank to her knees, cold sweat on her face. Was this really going to be the end of a romance that promised to burn down all others? To be done in by a _princess_? If the Princess was willing to fight her for Darling… if she considered him her precious treasure… should she just give up like she said she would?

This… this was not good at all…

* * *

That was just _weird_, Ranma thought to himself as he sought to make a quick quest for hot water before meeting up with Siesta at the girls' dormitory and hoping Tabitha didn't mind taking them out to La Rochelle without Kirche present. Something about the way Kirche acted just made him feel saddened for some reason. Part of him wanted to fend off whatever was going on, not that he understood what that was, since Kirche was such a ball of contradictions sometimes. Part of him… felt relieved.

Since he knew it was somehow possible for him to get back home, maybe whatever happened would make transitioning himself out of her life even easier. After all, Ranma did intend to go back home; the last thing he wanted was too many attachments to this world. He had more than enough problems on hand as it were, what with having to save an entire planet from a promised genocide. And whatever else was waiting for him when he got back home.

It was fun while it lasted, though. But now, it was time to go to work and put things like girls behind him. And the sooner he could find the Ring of Andvari, the sooner everyone that met him could forget about Ranma Saotome and return to their normal life.


	11. Calamity In Progress

**Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi. Familiar of Zero (Zero no Tsukaima) is owned by Noboru Yamaguchi. All rights reserved.**

**Zero Interface**  
Chapter 11  
Calamity In Progress

"So, would you like to tell me the reason why you just had me hire thirty or so mercenaries?" Miss Longueville, AKA Fouquet the Crumbling Earth (who on earth gave her that Runic title, she wanted to know), asked of her masked companion as they departed The Golden Wine Barrel Bar located in the Port City La Rochelle.

The masked man did not answer her immediately, which was fracturing Fouquet's nerves as it were. She knew that he was a member of the Reconquistadors, an organization of nobles disenfranchised by the kings and queens of the land. Their intent was to unite all of Halkeginia under one flag before they campaign to take back the Holy Land from the elves in the east.

They also knew quite a bit about her, or rather, who she used to be – Mathilda of Saxe-Gotha. Not that it made her feel any more at ease; in fact, it had rather the opposite effect of setting her teeth on edge. She might be working for the Reconquistadors, but it was hardly out of love for the land – the kingdoms could crumble and the elves conquer the lands for all she cared. Rather, she had but little choice in the matter, having been effectively strongarmed into servitude on pain of death.

Hopefully, it would be a winning side; Fouquet had more than enough losses in her life. Especially to that irritating commoner.

Sure, she overheard how the commoner was supposed to be some kind of legendary familiar, but that still didn't explain just how he could have gotten on the shoulders of a golem that stood almost forty feet tall in the blink of an eye and sneak attack her.

Was he really a mage? Osmond and Colbert certainly debated that issue. The commoner had magic, but… didn't. Was that even possible?

"Hey," Fouquet began again, more cross than she initially was. "Don't tell me you recruited me for my organizational skills."

"Perhaps," the man behind the porcelain man replied. It was the same sort of mirth that he expressed when cheerfully offering her a position in the Reconquista. As well as casually informing her that she'd be joining her father, had she refused membership.

Damned if you do… damned if you don't…

"Anyway," the mystery man spoke without so much as turning his head to look at her. "You stay in town for a bit. I have to carry out an errand."

"Surprisingly trusting," Fouquet replied, a bland expression on her face.

"It is good practice to let one's loyalty be tested," the masked man replied. "And if you were to suddenly disappear, I might have to inquire at every orphanage in Halkeginia for you. Obviously, that would be rather… troubling."

The blood in her veins froze at his humor-laced words. Which were clearly anything but. Fouquet desperately forced her face to shake off the shock with a mask of neutrality. "Preposterous. As if an orphanage holds any true meaning to me, a fully grown woman."

"As the lady says," the masked man replied absently before half turning in her direction. "At any rate, I take my departure."

"Do not allow me to hold you back," Fouquet said distractedly.

She could have sworn the mask smirked just before he turned to leave. Once gone, she let go of the breath she had been hold, and her hands trembled violently.

Damned if you do… damned if you don't…

* * *

Founder, have mercy on me, Guiche thought as he wearily guided an almost-equally exhausted mare down the path to Port City La Rochelle. He just saw the white gryphon sail straight ahead onto the city as though it were a target on the archery range.

Guiche knew that a Captain of Her Highness' Gryphon Corp would be a strong mage, but Viscount Wardes openly defied all of his beliefs about the limits of a noble man's endurance. A two day trip, condensed into a single day and night of hard riding, constant pushing onwards and forwards as though elves were pursuing them. Several times, he had to exchange his worn out steeds at various stables on the journey just to keep up.

Truly, Wardes was nothing short of monstrous. Then again, he supposed it would have to be, as he was engaged to Louise the Zero. Not for sexual guidance, of course, but for her perchance to blow up everyone and everything with her miserable talent for magic.

Seeing the city up ahead flushed away his weariness. Wardes stated an hour ago that they would be spending the night in La Rochelle. Just the thing he needed, too – a good long soak in a hot bath.

His thoughts suddenly switched towards Montmorency, and he felt his heart grow heavy over the brujah Louise's familiar wrought upon their relationship. Ever since then, he had been seeking her out, attempting to apologize for the misunderstanding, get her to understand that there really was nothing going on between him and that first year student and to allow him the privilege of her presence once again. However, he hadn't found any sign of her on the Academy grounds at all in the last few days. Cobbling together information, it seemed that she had been taken away by Louise's familiar, with that Zerbst and her shy friend leading the way.

There were few things that raised Guiche's ire. That Ranma Saotome, though… boy, did he manage the job, and then some. It wasn't enough that a commoner thrashed his golems like so much soap bubbles in seconds. The rumors that sprouted as a result burned his pride. Really, throwing the fight because he was scared witless of a _commoner_! Gambling! Weaker than Louise! What balderdash!

And then, that rapscallion peasant was seen _carrying off_ his beloved Monmon like some sort of sky pirate rogue! Unforgivable! Guiche hadn't made past kissing her on her lovely cheek, and this… this… argh! Who knew what kind of dastardly fate would befall his precious flower! He would not allow it!

He sought out Louise in her dorm room, fully intent on delivering his righteous fury over the lack of control she exerted over her familiar. However, he happened to saw another making her way towards his destination.

Her Highness, the Princess…

Shame snapped Guiche back to reality as he remembered that he had completely forgotten about Montmorency as a result. Well, it was a vital mission for the Princess… and, well… how could he forsake his Princess! Ahem…

Guiche quietly reminded himself to talk to Louise about her familiar later tonight. It was the least he could do for his precious flower.

* * *

"Why in the name of the Founder am I here?" Montmorency grumbled in annoyance as she sat on the blue dragon Sylphid, with Tabitha guiding it through the growing night sky.

"Well, you were a pretty big help back in Gallia," Ranma commented mildly, his eye turned downward at the frightened Siesta clinging to his side. Well, he wasn't entirely convinced she _was_ frightened; every so often, he could swear he heard her giggle and snuggle her body against him a little tighter.

Hoo boy… he hoped Louise wasn't picking up anything from him.

Montmorency couldn't help but glare at the maid. "And why are we taking a _maid_ with us?"

"I've been ordered to help out Ranma in any way I can on his trip," Siesta spoke up quickly. The dragon shifted slightly to better adhere to the wind, causing the maid to "eep" in fright and clamp onto Ranma again.

She didn't fool Montmorency; she saw the secretive smile as she buried her face into his shoulder, hanging onto Ranma possessively.

Not that it was annoying her the way the servant made any excuse to cling onto the outworlder. Obviously not because of that. She could… rub her breasts against his arm as much as she wanted, she didn't care!

Ranma, for his part, was completely unaware of the interplay going on behind him and leaned forward a bit to speak to Tabitha, who sat near the head of the dragon. Mostly, he just wanted to get his mind off of the way his arm was drawn in between the valley of Siesta's breasts and the gentle-but-firm-and-steady massaging action it was getting. "Any idea how much further, Tabitha?" he asked in an attempt to get his mind off the object nearly at hand.

"Soon," she spoke.

"Oh…" Ranma replied, feeling a little disappointed. Well, it was supposed to be a good thing, as soon meant that he wouldn't be feeling Siesta's warmth at his side, which was a bit disconcerting after a few hours. No more feeling the thump of her heart, the swell of her breath within her body, the soft release when she exhales, the strange light cherry scent in her hair...

Ranma coughed and turned his thoughts elsewhere. He really hoped Louise wasn't getting any of his feelings again. Who knew what kind of trouble would ensue with her hanging around that foppish playboy Guiche?

* * *

Louise shivered.

"Are you cold, my dear Louise?"

The strawberry blonde looked up at her fiancé Viscount Wardes, Captain of Her Highness's Gryphon Knights, as he led her to the suite they were to retire at The Goddess's Temple. "Ah, no, nothing of the sort, Viscount."

Wardes nodded. "I see. I would hate for my precious Louise to catch cold on this important mission."

"So would I," Louise replied absently, glancing around her.

The Goddess's Temple. Lavish and fancy, even by a noble's standards, the dining tables and floors were made of the purest marble so clean and polished, one could see his own reflection as though it were a mirror. Guiche was already situated in his own room after they cleaned up and ate, thoroughly exhausted from all the riding they had put it.

Her nerves further twisted her stomach in knots.

In the years she had not seen him, Wardes had honed and refined his body, tempering it to steel-like hardness. His once smooth face now sported a trimmed beard to match his platinum hair. Despite the few differences, he looked just as kind to her as she remembered him, which was something that kept poking her in her thoughts.

Which also tended to intermingle with whatever stimuli Ranma was soaking himself in again, resulting in somewhat contradictory thoughts.

She glowered. It was just another example of how forsaking Ranma at the Academy was turning out to be a bad idea. Without her presence, there was no telling just how far he and Kirche would go. Damn that Kirche! Why couldn't that Germanian put a cork in her love box and stop trying to traumatize her through Ranma again? And especially at a time like this! Louise gnashed her teeth in frustration.

Of all the times to want to teach Ranma a lesson about venturing off without her! She really wasn't thinking straight. Otherwise, she'd have never left him alone and in the care of her nemesis!

"Here we are, my dear Louise," Wardes spoke softly, reaching the door of the room they were to share tonight. He took out the room key gotten from the innkeeper and unlocked the door.

Louise shook herself free of her darkening thoughts, suddenly reminded of just how dangerous the situation had gotten. The wooden door to the best room in the inn gave way, revealing the lavish décor within. Louise's heart began thumping anew.

"_The ship to Albion won't be leaving until the day after tomorrow," Wardes said reluctantly after visiting the Air Ship docks. "It seems they'll set sail when Albion is at its closest to La Rochelle."_

Sleeping in the same room… With Wardes… For the next two days…

Louise whimpered. She wasn't ready for this! He called himself her "fiancé," but what did that mean? She hadn't seen him in ten years! And he came back, fully intent on picking up from where they left off! She… She couldn't just let this happen! She didn't even know if she liked him that way anymore! And Ranma's stupid feelings were picking the worst time ever to start channeling sexy, sexy vibes!

That Kirche! She was going to kill her, assuming her purity survived the night!

"Please, my dear Louise, come in," Wardes spoke in that charming manner of his, a winsome smile on his face. "I have something I wish to discuss with you."

Again, Louise forcibly snapped herself out of her thoughts. "Something to discuss?"

"It's rather important."

Louie's stomach did a half-twist, making her feel more nauseous with nervousness. What did he want to talk with her about?

He took his time with the matter, whatever it was, as he poured a goblet of wine for himself, dusted it off, then refilled. He slid her a cup as well, with the insistence of making herself comfortable. Louise took the goblet up and sat by the marble table inside the room; however, she did not drink.

Something big was on his mind, and she was anxious to find out what it was. And she really, really wished Ranma wasn't doing stupid things outside of her awareness. And worse, she knew with Kirche, things were only going to escalate. Which would endanger her purity to extreme degrees.

"I must ask of you, my dear Louise…" Wardes began, turning to look upon her. "Has another come and stolen away your heart?"

"What!" Louise dropped her wine glass, startled. "Wh-what kind of question is that~!"

Wardes frowned a little. "I've noticed during our journey here, you seem… distracted. Perhaps you wish to be with—"

"There's no one else!" she snapped, burning scarlet. "I was…" She pinched her lips closed, tried to think whether or not she wanted to reveal her odd connection with Ranma's feelings to Wardes.

"I was… worried. Worried about the mission," she finished, a little disheartened that she took the easy way out.

"Mmm…" Wardes took a sip of wine. "It gladdens my heart to hear that. Being away for so long, I fear someone else laying claim upon your heart."

"Wardes…" Now Louise _did_ feel ashamed for not telling him.

"You still have the Princess's letter, do you not?"

She nodded, a little put out. "Yes. Yes I do…" She really wished he didn't treat her like she was six.

Wardes smiled. "Good. I, too, worry about our mission, whether or not we'll be able to retrieve the letter from the Prince of Albion. The fate of the nation rides on our shoulders."

Louise smiled a little at her fiancé. "I'm certain we will. After all, you're here with me. Everything will turn out fine."

At that, Wardes chuckled. "'As long as you're here, everything will turn out fine…' It's just like it was ten years ago." His grey eyes shifted onto Louise. "Do you remember—"

A knock on the room door cut off Wardes' recollection. He got up from his seated position, instinctively drawing out his wand. "I'll get it," he spoke cautiously. He approached the door, wand slightly raised, a few words moving silently on his lips before he spoke aloud. "Who is it?"

"Name's Ranma Saotome," came the response, making Louise's heart skip a beat. "Er, is Louise in there?"

* * *

"Must be some errand," Fouquet spoke aloud to herself in her small rented room. "I'd have thought my 'benefactor' would have come back by now…"

Not that she was going to complain a whole lot if the masked man just so happened to have died en route; that would spell one less problem for her. Though, in the end, she didn't know just who else from the Reconquistadors would come after her, so slipping out would most certainly be a bad idea.

Besides, if they knew as much about her as the masked man hinted at, they knew very well that she wouldn't try to flee. Not with the orphanage under the slightest bit of threat, anyway.

"You really know how to pick them, don't you, Mathilda?" she spoke to herself wryly.

Well, all this sitting around reminiscing over her faults and other people's foolishness wasn't going to do her or anyone else a bit of good.

She needed to clear her head for a bit. Get away from the reminder that she was more prisoner than ally.

A late night walk around town… Yes, that would be good for her. La Rochelle may have their thieves, but she was still a mage, in spite of the lack of mantle. With magic at her disposal, she wasn't worried about anyone spoiling her night.

* * *

"Y'know, Louise, I take back everything I said about your dining hall," Ranma spoke in an awestricken manner as he picked up the marble table with one hand, looking underneath it. "This place is just ridiculously extravagant… I don't know what to make of it." He knocked on the marble top incredulously. "Is this really marble? What next, toothbrushes made from gold?"

"Ranma, put that down," Louise half-heartedly commanded. "And how on earth did you find me?"

Rama obliged Louise, placing the table back against the wall as he explained. "Henrietta told me what was going on, felt like maybe our goals might be merging."

Louise blinked in disbelief. "You… you dare call the Princess by name?"

"She told me to," he shrugged as he turned to face her. "Besides, that's not important. Thing is…"

Ranma paused and looked at Wardes, who reclined against the wall next to the entryway, wearing wore a slightly bemused expression on his face.

"Uh, who's that?" Ranma asked, slightly suspicious of him.

Louise sighed. "He allowed you into the room, and you haven't the courtesy to even notice him?"

Wardes waved off the growing annoyance Louise was radiating. "It's certainly unexpected, but for Her Highness to have sent your familiar all the way to La Rochelle, I'm certain it must be of a matter most urgent."

"See, he understands," Ranma said nodding in approval. Then he frowned. "Hey, I'm not a familiar."

Louise made a face at the pigtailed martial artist. Did he have to do that with _everyone_ that called him a familiar?

"Anyway," Ranma continued. "What's your name?"

"My name is Viscount Wardes, Captain of Her Highness's Gryphon Corp and…" He paused for a moment. "Louise's fiancé."

"Fiancé?" Ranma inquired, his eyebrows perking up in surprise. Meanwhile, Louise looked at Ranma oddly.

"Very," Wardes replied, his expression neutral. "Is this a problem?"

"Not really, I mean…" He shook his head a little. "I was just… thinking of something. Hey, she hasn't hit you over the head with a table, by any chance, has she?"

"WHAT!" Louise roared in shock. "What kind of question is that!"

Meanwhile, Wardes laughed. "By Founder, no, of course not. It's been a very long time since I last saw my dear Louise, and I daresay, I cannot even begin to imagine her committing such a brutish act."

Ranma nodded slowly. "Ahh, I see…" He coughed a moment "Well, um, anyway, do you mind if I borrow her for a minute? A couple of things Henrietta wanted Louise to know."

"Ranma!" Louise snapped "Don't be so rude!"

"It's quite all right, my dear Louise," Wardes spoke calmly. "The matter can wait a little longer."

"B-but—"

"The Princess's needs come first, correct?"

Louise sighed. "Yes, that's correct."

"Okay, cool," Ranma spoke, once Louise was in compliance. "Let's go outside, 'cause this place is making me itch." Again, Ranma tapped on the table surface. "This is really marble, isn't it?"

Louise sighed. "Yes, Ranma, it really is…"

"Man, that's kind of crazy… It's like I walked into some billionaire's place or something…"

As Louise and Ranma exited the room, Wardes turned his eyes to the table Ranma had been so enamored with. Coming to a decision, he arose and approached the table. Placing both hands on either side of it, Wardes concentrated for a moment, then lifted.

A heavy grunt rumbled from his throat as the table lifted a few inches off the floor.

He let the table settle back onto the floor, his lips pursed as he glanced back at the room door the martial artist had left through, then back to the table.

"One hand…" he spoke to himself, wiping a small burst of sweat from his forehead. "How frightful…"

* * *

"How did you find me?" Louise asked, once she and Ranma were down in the lobby.

"Just went with a guess from Monte-Morrissey," Ranma replied.

"Who?"

He glanced at her. "You know, that girl that knows the Water Spirit."

Louise frowned. "That's 'Montmorency.'"

"That's what I said, Monte-Morrissey." He made a face. "Why on earth would her parents name her something so silly, anyway? It's her first and last name."

"Somehow, I don't think you have much room to talk, Ranma Saotome," Louise stated flatly.

"Ranma Saotome's a good strong name," he said with the finality of a sage.

Louise just sighed as they walked out of The Goddess's Temple and into the busy evening street, teeming with people slipping off to the local taverns and other locations. "Anyway, what were you saying about our goals merging?"

"Oh, that." Ranma glanced around for a moment then leaned in close to Louise. "Well, I'm looking for someone named Cromwell, and there's a good chance you might run into him, too. So, it was only natural to get me to come help you out." He glanced at her. "Especially since you left me behind earlier this morning."

Louise colored scarlet. "Ah! That… I… I-I didn't see you! I thought you were still away!"

"Louise, you talked to me when I came in."

"I-I don't remember that!"

Ranma sighed. "Look, Louise, it doesn't really matter or anything."

"Then why are you interrogating me!"

He shrugged. "Just wondering."

She gritted her teeth. "You're a jerk, you know that!"

"Yeah, yeah." Ranma looked up at the sky. "Whatever you say."

Louise paused, looking at him carefully. "What's going on? You haven't been feeling like yourself since yesterday."

He shrugged. "Nothing's wrong."

"Liar. What's going on?"

He quirked one corner of his mouth, glancing at Louise. "Well, I can definitely go back home."

Louise blinked. "Really? How did you find this out?"

Ranma started to say when someone collided into his side. He barely moved, but the other party was not so fortunate, the hooded woman being unexpectedly repelled backwards with a cry of indignation. She managed to retain her footing, though her hood had partially slipped back.

"Ah, sorry there," Ranma spoke a little contritely. "Wasn't paying attention."

"Well, perhaps you should pay better atten…" The woman's scolding voice suddenly trailed off.

Louise peered past Ranma to see just what was going on. And her mouth went dry.

"Fouquet!"

Fouquet jerked back, being identified. "You two!"

"What?" Ranma blinked, looking back at Louise. "I thought she was taken to jail."

"She must've escaped!" Louise fumbled for her wand.

"Partner!" Derflinger shouted from Ranma's back. "Watch out!"

However, Fouquet already had her wand, a spell flying off her lips. "Quicksand!" she snapped off, retreating as she let her magic strike the ground Ranma and Louise were standing upon.

Before Ranma could move, his weight suddenly shifted as he and Louise began to sink rapidly into the liquefied earth. The carousers on the street panicked and scattered away from the area, cried of "Fouquet" and "thief" on their lips.

"Crap! We're stuck!" Ranma shouted, trying to pull himself free with little luck; he couldn't find solid ground within five feet of him. And his struggles only quickened his descent.

"We have to stop her!" Louise cried out. "She can't be up to any good here!"

"What about us?" Ranma pointed out. "In case you forgot, we're still in trouble here." He looked up to someone. "Hey, give us a hand here!"

He was summarily ignored, the commoner valuing his own life over benevolence.

"Damned jerks!" Ranma snapped, having no better luck with other stragglers. "Why the hell are they blowing us off for! That chick's not even here!"

Louise paused. "Hang on, Ranma!"

"To what!" he shouted, incredulously.

Louise plunged her wand into the quicksand and began chanting a spell.

"Oh, dear," Derflinger spoke in concern. "Is she about to do what I think she's about to—"

"Levitate!"

=KABOOM=

"Waugh!"

"Eek!"

Ranma and Louise were blasted out of the quicksand, flung about like dolls in opposite directions, along with most of the quicksand and several chunks of solid earth. Ranma crashed through the side of a building, creating panic and chaos as a half-dressed woman shrieked at the top of her lungs, fleeing the wreckage. More sounds of pandemonium drifted in through the hole.

Ranma groaned. "That idiot…"

"Well, it worked, I must say," Derflinger pointed out. "A rather creative use of an explosion, I must admit."

"True, but she could have given me some warning at least," Ranma snapped. He dragged himself out of the hole, stretching his back. "Where's Louise?"

"I'd wager among those shattered barrels of ale, Partner."

"Great," Ranma deadpanned. "This had better not turn out like in the cartoons. I'm not dealing with a drunk Louise throwing magic all over the place."

"Already seen that happen once," Derflinger said.

"Really? How'd that turn out."

"They rebuilt La Rochelle, I see. I thought it was just my memory going."

"…great…"

* * *

_What in the name of the Founder are_ those _two doing here?_ Fouquet thought to herself as she ran back to the inn she was planning to stay the night in. Well, not anymore. Having been revealed put a significant crease in that option. And the masked benefactor was nowhere to be found.

"Going somewhere?" the masked man spoke as Fouquet shot past him. He produced his wand. "I thought you were going to stay put."

"We got a problem!" she snapped back. "Those brats that captured me are here in this town!"

"I know."

"You _know_?" she asked incredulously. "Then you also know that they're probably going to come after me if they escape that quicksand trap?"

=KABOOM=

Fouquet looked towards the sound of the explosion.

"Okay," she replied flatly. "After they escape that quicksand trap, they're going to come after me."

"They won't," the masked man said, amused. "I've been gauging their strength, and, though unexpected a development this is, we have the mercenaries to slow them down."

"Slow them down?"

"Yes, this is what we call a trap." The porcelain mask gleamed under the light of fire, the razory smile seemingly expanding. "And you're the bait."

* * *

"Where are you going? Put me down!"

Ranma sighed as Louise struggled from her slung-over position on his shoulder. "Quiet. I'm taking you back to that fiancé of yours."

"But why!" Louise shouted in annoyance. "Fouquet's out there right now!"

"And you're going to try and stop her."

"Of course!"

"Which is exactly why I'm taking you back to your fiancé."

"What!"

Ranma made a face. "Look, you got some sort of special mission for Henrietta, right?"

"But—"

"Don't you think it might be a little reckless to go try and stop her now?"

"…!"

"Well?"

Louise scowled reluctantly. "What if she escaped prison in order to interfere with the mission?"

"Then…" Ranma paused. "Then, I'll go look for her."

"What?"

"Your thing's kinda important, right? The fate of your kingdom and stuff."

"Y-yes, but—"

"So you just go on ahead and handle that, all right? Leave the light work to me. I'll protect you, even if it kills me."

Louise's face blossomed in surprise at his words, her heart had skipping a beat. Her resistance ceased instantly. "Wh-wh-what?"

"Just go with me on this. I know what I'm doing."

Louise frowned, trying to ignore the heat in her face. "You're pretty certain of yourself, aren't you?"

Ranma chuckled. "You'd know, wouldn't you?"

Louise did. Felt his sincerity. But something about him was… off. Like there was more to it than just what he said.

"Looks like we're getting company, Partner," Derflinger spoke cautiously.

"Hmm?" Ranma glanced over his shoulder to see what Derflinger was talking about.

A parade of men, armed with various lethal melee weapons, bows and guns were formulating behind them. Grim, sadistic looks mingled into one identity as the men marched forward, eyes locked upon him and Louise. Hostility snapped at Ranma's senses.

"Wh-what is this?" Louise asked, unnerved by the men's presence. "Don't tell me…"

"Probably hired guns," Ranma surmised as he tightened his grip on Louise. "Hang on."

"Hang on? What for—wuagh~!"

Louise screamed as Ranma suddenly spun and ran towards the closest building. He sprang up and slapped both feet onto the wall before ricocheting himself back towards the rooftop of the adjacent building. Arrows pierced through his earlier location, a second too late.

"Are you trying to get me killed!" Louise shouted as Ranma sprang rapidly from rooftop to rooftop.

"Fakeout," he replied simply, switching the strawberry blonde from his shoulder into a bridal style carrying position. "Just hold on; I can go pretty fast, you know."

She slung her arms around his neck. "Don't you dare drop me!"

"Geez… like I can afford to," he chuckled, sweeping across another rooftop before rocketing towards a pole. One arm let go of Louise, reaching out to catch hold of the wooden pole and using it to whip them both diagonally across the street. She squealed in fright as they went flying through the air, seemingly on a collision course for the building in front of their trajectory.

Feet came into contact with the side of his target building's outer wall but they didn't settle as Ranma shot off again, running along the wall's surface before catching hold of a window sill. With little effort, he pitched them both high up, twisting and turning through the air to land lightly onto the building's rooftop. Barely a beat later, they were off running again.

"Why are you doing all this!" Louise cried out.

"Splitting up and shaking off pursuers."

A murderous-looking man suddenly sprang up in front of Ranma and Louise. "Rargh!"

Ranma unceremoniously used his face to hop over to the next building. "Thanks for the lift, fella!" Ranma cheerfully called back to the flattened mercenary before running off again.

"What was that for!" ouise shouted, looking at the floored mercenary rapidly fading into obscurity.

"Eh, gotta piss off someone around here."

Louise paled. "Are you stupid!"

"Hey," Ranma spoke, ignoring the comment as his eyes locked onto one building in particular. "Isn't that Tabitha's dragon over there?"

"Huh?" Louise turned her head to look in the same direction. "You brought others?"

"Sure thing," he replied, making a quick break towards Sylphid. "You didn't think I _ran_ all the way here, did you?"

Louise privately wondered if he could.

* * *

"I thought he was going to be back soon," Montmorency grumbled. "How long could it take for him to talk to Louise, anyway?"

Tabitha did not respond as she silently read a thick book. Siesta did not reply either, as she found it intimidating, sitting in the rented hotel room with two nobles. And Sylphid, even if she could respond, was sleeping on the hotel's rooftop.

"Hey guys," Ranma said as he popped in through the room's open window, Louise in his arms. "Didn't expect you all to be here."

"Ranma!" Siesta cried out happily. "You're back!"

"About time," Montmorency snapped dismissively. "Did you plan to run off to Albion by yourself?"

Tabitha just looked up from her book, saw Ranma and Louise, then returned to her reading.

Louise looked from one face to another as Ranma slid her out of his arms. "Why are you here?" she asked Siesta.

"Nevermind that," Ranma spoke quickly, clapping Louise on the shoulder. "We got company."

"Company?" Montmorency spoke incredulously. "We just get here, and already you got someone angry with you?"

"Well, it's Fouquet," Louise said.

Montmorency and Tabitha looked up, the former blinking in surprise. "What? I thought she was arrested and put in prison."

"Well, looks like they don't make jail cells like they used to," Ranma replied, looking out the window. "Anyway, looks like she hired a bunch of guys to deal with us, and they're crawling all over town."

"What!" Montmorency shouted. "Are you _trying_ to get us all killed again!"

Ranma made a face as he turned towards the blonde. "You're still alive; what's the big deal?"

She puffed up in annoyance. "What's the big deal! Why I—"

=SH-THUNK=

An arrow shot through the open window, piercing the ceiling. Ranma swore as he threw himself to one side of the window. Louise and Siesta screamed, covering up as they dropped to the floor. Tabitha put away her book, her thick staff in hand.

Montmorency blinked as she looked at the still-quivering arrow overhead.

"Idiot!" Ranma rocketed from his hiding place, tackling the blond to the floor. She screamed as gravity took over, slapping their bodies against the floor in an undignified heap. At the same time, several more arrows tore through the air, impacting soundly into the ceiling.

Montmorency reddened, both from the embarrassment of being caught in a stupor over the dangerous situation and from the way Ranma covered her bodily. Had he no sense of decency?

"Damnit!" Ranma hissed. "Quicker than I thought…" He looked over his shoulder at the window, then back at Montmorency. "Stay put."

She mutely nodded, and Ranma instantly lighted off of her, rolling onto his feet and scooting back against the wall like a crab. Montmorency quickly snapped her legs together as she sat up, tugging her skirt down to retain modesty. "What are you doing?"

Ranma quickly peeked out through one corner of the window and threw himself back. The staccato thumps of arrows banging against the outer wall echoed in the deadly silent room. "Okay," he breathed. "There's like seven of them outside right now."

"Downstairs," Tabitha spoke, looking at the room door as she hoisted her staff in its direction. Below, there were muffled crashing sounds and shouts.

Ranma scowled. "Aw, crap, they're gonna storm the building?"

"What?" Siesta squeaked, peeking up from under her hands covering her head. "What's going on? Why are we being attacked?"

There was a loud BANG below their feet, the sudden violence downstairs only imaginable. Several screams permeated through the floorboards. And then, silence.

"What was that?" Louise breathed.

"I don't know," Montmorency replied just as quietly.

Footsteps began racing upwards and towards them. Ranma and Tabitha slid into positions, he down beside the door from where it would open; Tabitha ducked down just off-center of the door, a clear shot on any intruders that would crash into the room.

"Louise? Louise! Where are you?"

Montmorency straightened up. "That voice…"

The door snapped open, revealing a harried, slightly disheveled blond. "Loui—AHHH! Don't hit me!"

Ranma had already shot up, fist cocked back before he realized just who was standing before him. Montmorency jumped up as well, her eyes widening. "Guiche! What are you doing here!"

"M-M-Montmorency! My love!"

Montmorency's face paled, then crinkled in disgust. "Don't hesitate to punch him," she said to Ranma. Who looked back at her like she was an oddball.

"Montmorency!" Guiche wailed, instinctively covering his face with his arms. "We've got bigger problems!"

"Very much so" said Wardes as he came up behind the frightened blond teen.

Louise was on her feet immediately. "Viscount! We ran into Fouquet!"

Wardes stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Hmm… that would explain the sudden attack at The Goddess's Temple."

"You, too?" Rama asked.

The older man nodded. "Mercenaries. I was just able to get the brave young Guiche and myself out before the fire spread."

Guiche, who was just scared of getting socked in the face looked up, slight confusion on his face before he laughed as if aware. "Ah, Sir, you flatter me too much… It was nothing any ordinary noble wouldn't have done in my place…"

"No kidding," Ranma spoke in a bored tone. He examined Wardes. "How'd you know we were here?"

Wardes smiled. "Fortunately, I managed to hear that there were two groups of mercenaries, the one that came for us, and the one chasing a couple into a hotel. I put faith in the Founder that the 'couple' mentioned were you and Louise."

"Th-th-that's not true!" Louise hurridly spoke up. "Ranma! He! He was!"

"Ah, I understood immediately, my dear Louise," Wardes spoke, smiling gently upon her, stroking her hair.

Montmorency looked from Louise to Wardes and back again. "What nature of relationship would you have to be so familiar with a maiden?" the blonde asked, unable to not regard Wardes suspiciously.

"They're engaged," Ranma supplied.

Montmorency's eyes widened significantly, as did Tabitha's and Siesta's. "What!"

Louise's cheeks flushed deeply. "W-w-well…"

"Anyway," Ranma spoke, breaking off the inevitable Q&A before it began. He patted Wardes on the shoulder. "Looks like we got lucky, pal."

"Hm?" Wardes noted the overly familiar (and rude) manner he was being addressed, but did not say anything. "How do you mean?"

"I was just looking for you so you can go take Louise…" He looked over everyone. "And, well, get everyone else out of here quick."

Montmorency turned to Ranma. "Wait, why are you sending us away?"

"Gonna take care of some light work and stop Fouquet," he replied matter-of-factly. "What's the matter?"

"Are you mad!" the blonde with princess curls barked. "You almost didn't survive the trip to Ragdorian Lake!"

"Geez, these guys are human, Monte-Morrissey. I can take 'em."

Montmorency suddenly grabbed full hold of Ranma's collar and shook him furiously. "For starters, stop calling me Monte-Morrissey! And secondly, stop being an idiot! You almost died once before and almost got us all killed for being an idiot!" She exhaled hard, and quickly released him. "And stop making me angry all the time," she spoke at normal room volume, but no less fierce.

Ranma rubbed his neck as everyone, save Wardes and Tabitha, gawked at Montmorency's outburst. "Geez! I'm sorry if that kind of pisses you off, okay?"

She huffed, turning her nose up I annoyance. "It's the principle of the matter."

"Fine, fine, geez… But I still want you guys to go off with Wardes, Monmon."

She stopped being annoyed to stare at him. "Didn't I just tell you—"

"Monmon's a good, fitting name for you where I come from," he spoke quickly. "And you don't want me to mangle your name up, so… stop being a worrywart, Monmon."

She glared at him. "I don't like you."

Ranma sighed. "Well, at least—"

She folded her arms in defiance. "And I'm not going to do what you say, either. I'm staying right here."

Now he scowled. "Monmon—"

She held up her hand. "Founder knows you're going to need someone to heal you and your stupidity, and I rather not have that debt hanging over my head while you're dying in another country, got it?"

"But—"

"W-Well, if my dear Montmorency is staying, then so am I!" Guiche announced boldly.

"I don't know if this is the real Guiche," Montmorency said without looking at him. "I feel you should punch him a few times just to be certain he isn't a spy."

"Montmorency!"

Ranma made a face. "Why—"

"Request."

Ranma's face fell into a pout when Tabitha spoke. He looked at her. She looked at him, adjusting her glasses.

He sighed, looking away in defeat. "Fine, you can stay, too…"

"R-Ranma—"

"Oh, for the—" He turned to Siesta, who blinked from the sudden move. "Why can't you understand, I'd feel much better knowing you were in safe hands? Why?"

"I… I understand…" Siesta replied, somewhat taken aback.

Ranma paused. "You understand? Really?"

"Mm hmm…" Siesta spoke. "I didn't really understand the depth of what you were doing, and I selfishly made you take me with you because I really missed you."

Ranma sweated. "Ah, w-well, I didn't, ah… I didn't want you to worry…"

She sniffed, smiling faintly. "You could have told me… I would have understood."

"Ah… y-yeah… uh…"

"A-HEM."

Ranma looked up, the atmosphere broken by an irritated Louise, tapping her foot impatiently. "So. I assume we're going to be taking Siesta with us, am I understanding this correctly?"

"Uh, yeah, if you can."

Wardes nodded. "I don't see any problems with the arrangement. But we'll have to hurry to the harbor."

"But I thought the ship wasn't scheduled to head out for another two days!"

"I will persuade them otherwise. After all, this is a mission for Her Highness. We cannot afford to fail."

"Right," everyone intoned.

Wardes smiled. "Let us hurry before reinforcements come."

* * *

"Hmm…"

"What is it?" Fouquet asked of her masked companion as they remained hidden outside of the hotel Ranma's party was holed up in.

"Seems like there's to be a change of plans."

"Oh?"

"Unexpected, but it plays into the Reconquistadors plans perfectly. Just… one more thing that should be taken care of."

"And that would be?"

"The Gandalfr. His power… it's much too great to be left unsupervised."

A slow smile began spreading. "So, does that mean…"

"Yes. You may yet avenge yourself of the humiliation and degradation of being so manhandled by such a rude commoner."

She grinned darkly. "That sounds just perfect."


	12. Backfire

**Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi. Familiar of Zero (Zero no Tsukaima) is owned by Noboru Yamaguchi. All rights reserved.**

**Zero Interface**  
Chapter 12  
Backfire

"What do you mean you need to leave now!" a shiphand shouted in horror as he just heard the request from Wardes's mouth as they all stood on the gangplank connecting the airship to the port tree it was anchored to. "We haven't even gotten all the cargo on board, let alone the power to reach Albion from here! It's impossible!"

"And I told you, we haven't time to argue," the Gryphon Knight Captain spoke in a commanding voice as Louise and Siesta fidgeted, looking behind them every few seconds. "This is for Her Highness; we cannot afford to tarry any longer."

"What's going on here?" a voice called out from behind the shiphand.

"Captain!" the shiphand cried, stepping off the gangplank. "These nobles are insisting we take them to Albion now!"

"Without even half the cargo loaded?" the weathered-looking captain of the airship queried as he stepped into the mouth of the walkway, raising an eyebrow. "Besides, it's impossible to leave now. The Wind Crystal's power is too low, and we haven't been able to replace it. It's why we planned to depart two days from now; Albion would be drawn the closest to La Rochelle."

"I am a Square-Class mage of Her Highness's Gryphon Corps," Wardes said. "Whatever power you lack, I will make up for it."

The captain smiled bemusedly. "And still, we won't be able to excuse the flight, due to the cargo not being completely loaded into the hold to be sold. Pardon the rudeness, but we do have families to think of."

"What's the cargo?" Wardes asked in a bored tone.

"Sulfur," the captain replied. "At current prices, it's worth its weight in gold."

"Fine," Wardes said dismissively. "Sell it all to me at that price, then."

Siesta goggled at Wardes. "E-expensive..." she whispered to herself.

Louise looked nonplussed. "Well if it comes to that..."

The captain beamed as he stepped aside from the exit of the gangplank. "A done deal. We might be able to get a little farther on our own without all that weight holding us down."

Wardes just nodded. "Let us depart then." He looked over his shoulder. "Come, my dear Louise, and servant." Without another word, he boarded the ship, with the two girls quickly following after him.

* * *

"What in Founder's name is this!" Montmorency shouted, as she and Ranma were holed up behind a heavy wooden table that was taking on arrows and musket rounds for them. Across from them, Guiche and Tabitha were similarly distressed.

"Just keep your head down, huh?" Ranma spoke, trying to get a feel for the situation.

Tabitha said nothing, similarly observing the scene of chaos, while Guiche whimpered.

"I don't want to die here," he moaned. "If I do I'll never get to see Princess again..."

"What did you say!" Montmorency shouted over the noise of gunfire.

The blond boy straightened up. "Er, I said I'll never forget you-"

A round bullet punched its way through the table top, causing Guiche to yelp and throw himself back.

"Okay, this is stupid," Ranma growled. Supposedly, Wardes already took care of the mercenaries downstairs. Yet, it seemed that the guys were merely thrown out of the hotel or something, as no unconscious bodies were waiting for them they descended the stairs into an ambush. Either Wardes was going easy on them, or they were tougher than expected. At any rate, they needed to get out of this mess, or they would be turned into pin cushions. He looked around, trying to think of something. His eyes landed upon Guiche, who was examining the hole a musket round made in an attempt to take off his head.

"Tabitha!"

The blue haired girl looked over at Ranma.

"Give me some cover!"

She nodded, letting a spell build on her lips. Meanwhile, Ranma shook Montmorency by the shoulder.

The blonde girl lifted her head slightly. "What is it?"

"I'm going over there right quick."

She stared at him. "You're going to do what!"

"I'll be back, Monmon!"

"Ranma!"

"Now, Tabitha!"

A gale force wind roared forth, bowling over various mercenaries. Meanwhile, Ranma shot over Montmorency, rolling over to Tabitha's and Guiche's table. He swiped a few of the musket rounds that had punched through the table and in the wall.

"What are you doing?" Guiche asked, befuddled by the pigtail boy's appearance.

Ranma smirked. "Just returning some stuff they lost." And with that, he rolled into the opening between their table shields. The runes on his left hand glowed as Ranma chambered the musket rounds in the crooks of his index fingers, thumbs firmly plied behind the leaden balls. Without haste, he let them fly.

Two rounds were stuffed violently back into the weapons that fired them with force great enough to cause them to explode in the owners' hands. Another one chewed a large chunk out of an archer's drawn longbow, causing the whole weapon to snap in half and viciously club him across the face. The last punished another gunner, crushing his index that was resting on the unguarded trigger. He yelped in agony as the finger pointed downward at an unnatural angle until another burst of wind slapped him down into silence, bouncing his head off the floor sharply.

"Impressive, Partner," Derflinger said. "You must be a terror in marbles."

Ranma smiled nonchalantly. "Eh, it's nothing."

"I'll say," Guiche said as everyone rose from their hiding places, first staring at Ranma, then his hands. "I suppose it wasn't dumb luck that you defeated the son of a Gramont so handily."

Ranma shrugged. "Those dolls were kinda weak anyway."

Guiche almost choked on his own tongue.

"Anyway," he continued, completely missing Guiche's reaction. "Can we talk about that later? Right now, we probably should go catch up with Louise before-"

=THUD=

"...what was that?" Montmorency asked.

"I... don't know," Guiche replied, his face screwed in puzzlement.

=THUD=

Ranma blinked. "I... oh man, no way... not her again?"

"Well, she is responsible, is she not?" Derflinger said.

=THUD=

Everyone's eyes widened at the heavy sounds slamming into the earth, sending shockwaves through the floor and building they were trapped in. More arrows crashed into the sides of the building near the exits. Everyone dropped back down behind the riddled tables in hurried counsel.

"What's going on!" Guiche cried out in panic.

"Fouquet, most likely," Ranma grumbled.

"Say _what_?" Guiche asked, horror-stricken. "I thought she was taken away and put in prison."

Ranma shrugged. "Well, guess they don't make prisons like they used to."

Guiche groaned. "Oh, the stories I've heard about her and her golem..." He caught sight of Montmorency and gasped. "We can't just remain here! We must escape, or else, she'll crush us to death!"

Ranma glanced out from behind their barrier. "Well, those archers outside are making it kind of hard to do that at the moment."

"W-well, perhaps we can sneak out the back then."

Ranma frowned. "Probably waiting for us there, too. With more arrows and guns and stuff."

Guiche groaned. "Oh, Belldandy. Where are you when I need you?"

Ranma made a face. "Is girls all you ever think about?"

Before Guiche could respond to that, an explosion overhead rocked the floors overhead.

"Oh, shit," Ranma breathe as the building began to collapse upon them.

* * *

Fouquet's massively tall iron golem raised both fists clasped together and hammered down upon the hotel again, crushing it down upon the trapped inhabitants.

"Again!" Fouquet shouted with a grin as she commanded the golem to swing again and again, leveling the whole building within minutes. Then the golem began to stomp on the remains, as if stamping out a smoldering campfire remains. Once done, the thieving mage turned to the mercenaries that had surrounded the building. "Any escapees?"

"Not a one," a mercenary called out.

"Good," she said with a smile. "Now that that miserable commoner has been dealt with-"

"'Commoner' has a name, you know," a voice said from behind her.

Fouquet's brain had tripped over itself before she could think of turning around. However, by then, she quickly realized that she was no longer standing on her golem and the cobblestone ground was quickly coming up to greet her. And her wand hand was bare.

Fortunately for her, a clump of mercenaries had been blown right into her line of trajectory, softening her rough landing somewhat, though by no means did it feel even remotely comfortable. Hitting her head off of someone or something left her disoriented amidst the screams of hired guns being hammered and earth crumbling somewhere nearby. She struggled to get her feet beneath her, complicated by the resistance of live bodies moaning and squirming as she stepped on faces and other more delicate things in her attempt to once again escape before she fully repeated her fate from last time.

By the time she was able to stand up, she found the pigtailed commoner standing in front of her, twirling a wand between his fingers.

_Her_ wand.

"Hey," Ranma said with a grin. "We really gotta stop meeting like this."

Fouquet couldn't bury her face in the soft earth in shame, so she settled for hiding her face in her hands as she sank to her knees in humiliation.

* * *

"Gotta hand it to you, Guiche," Ranma stated with a smirk as he looked away from the mortified thief. "I didn't know your girlfriend was so useful."

"She's my cute _familiar_, you addle-minded commoner," Guiche snapped as he stroked the blue diamond-marked brow of a giant mole who made what passed for cooing sounds of pleasure. "That's right, Belldandy. You did very well today, oh yes you did!"

Ranma just shook his head, various thought of ridicule popping up. He supposed, though, it might have been an dicier situation had Tabitha's Wind Bubble not been able to ward away most of the debris that rained down upon them and kept them from being crushed to death initially. That Belldandy the mole was close by to get drawn to the gems Guiche kept on his person was probably luck, but at least Ranma didn't have to dig them out from the rubble of the building.

Which might have been impossible after seeing the metal golem stomp on the remains.

Hoo boy, were they ever lucky Belldandy was somewhere nearby... Ranma might have been the best, but even he doubted he could have kept everyone safe from such a crushing.

Well, past was past. They escaped though Belldandy's underground tunnel and lived. Then Guiche, Montmorency and Tabitha dealt with the remaining mercenaries - the former two ensnared them with Earth spells and Sleep magic respectively, while the latter hammered them down with her Wind element - while Ranma put an end to Fouquet's golem threat.

All in all, not a bad day.

Now to get some information out of-

The hairs on the back of Ranma's neck stood up on end. His entire body screamed in panic at the feel of something _big_ coming. But what?

"Partner!" Derflinger shouted.

In the blink of an eye, Ranma's hand clutched hold of Derflinger's hilt. The runes on his left hand glowed. As he spun around to face his rear, he swung the sentient sword downward in an arc.

Blade slammed into an incoming storm of lightning. The immediate vicinity lit up in blinding bluish-white light, with everyone screaming in panic as the clashing of steel versus magic intensified.

And then suddenly sputtered out.

The storm of lightning, devoured by the magical sword, it's only traces of existence centering of lingering currents of electricity dancing upon the rusty blade's surface before disappearing altogether.

Ranma blinked once, twice, then looked at his sword arm in surprise. "The hell?"

"Ranma!" Montmorency cried out.

The martial artist looked up to see a trio of icicles flying at a man lurking around the corner of a building. His face was covered with a pale white mask whose eye holes and mouth seemed to have been carved out with a razor blade. The stranger flicked up his wand and smacked aside the daggers of ice with a sharp blast of wind, then ducked into hiding.

"I'm on him!" Ranma cried out, pushing aside confusion as he gave chase after the masked man.

"Careful, Partner. That was no ordinary magic he used."

Arrows of wind split through the air making Rama jump back around the corner of the building. "You don't say..." he commented mildly as he slipped the sword back into its sheathe.

"I do say," Derflinger replied. "That spell from earlier, it's called Lightning Cloud. Only a Square-class mage can cast it."

Rama craned his head back around, trying to peg the masked man's location. "And I cut the thing in half." The black cloak was flapping in the wind as the attacker resumed his retreat.

"You did, Partner."

Ranma scrambled out after the stranger. "With a sword."

The sword huffed, indignant. "I'm not just any ordinary sword; I'm _Lord_ Derflinger!"

The otherworldly fighter was rapidly gaining ground on the attacker. "I don't even use swords! And here I am, instantly going for one like its second nature!"

"The Gandalfr is an amazing familiar," came the simple response.

"Tch~!"

"Watch out, Partner! Incoming magic!"

Ranma instantly skid to a halt and quick sprang backwards, cartwheeling away at Derflinger's warning as the entire narrow pathway between buildings exploded in a massive cloud of electricity rushing forward like locust seeking to feed upon him.

When the storm cleared the masked man was gone.

"Dammit!"

* * *

The masked man floated down to the ground on the outskirts of La Rochelle.

"Unfortunate luck," he spoke to himself. "The Gandalfr, he's better than even I could anticipate."

"Well, good to hear; you're not too bad yourself."

The man paused, his white mask unable to betray surprise as he turned around to see the pigtailed martial artist standing behind him.

"Interesting," was his response.

He shrugged absently. "Yeah, well, all good things have to come to an end and stuff, so-GAH!"

What had been a simple pass-by-and-steal-the-mage's-wand action turned bloody, with Ranma holding his right hand, several lacerations layered into his palm.

The masked mage held up his wand hand. Ranma could just see the air around his hand and wand spirally around it tightly, almost like razors. The masked man waved the wand from side to side as if scolding a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Naughty, naughty, trying to steal my wand and rend me powerless, as you've done to others. You do me a great disservice, taking me so lightly."

Ranma snorted, even as his lips curled up in a rueful smirk. "Well, hell, you mages were so pathetic, I felt sorry for you all. Didn't want to hurt your pride any more than I had to."

"Thank you for such courtesy," the masked mage said, bowing mockingly. "I shall have that placed upon your gravestone - 'Courteous Commoner to the End.'"

He slid into a ready stance. "Ha, didn't know you're so willing to wait decades for me to kick the bucket."

"Air Hammer!"

Ranma shot off to the side, avoiding the invisible hammer as it smashed through the open space the martial artist had been standing at. He led in with a few punches, testing out the mage's defenses. The masked man dodged the incoming blows and stabbed with his wand. Ranma causally avoided the attack, turning his body to one side. However, the wind coiling around the mage's hand and wand expanded outward, shredding into his shirt and clawing at his body.

He shouted in surprise and pain. "Dammit!" Ranma created some space between him and the enemy mage, holding a hand to his bleeding side. "That was the only shirt I had, jerk!"

The mask seemed to loom over him in smirking superiority. "Perhaps you should have invested in more clothing then; I am a powerful opponent, Commoner."

Ranma scowled. "Yeah, I'm pretty certain you're better than most everyone I've faced here in this place. Bet that Cromwell guy is pretty powerful, too, huh?"

That seemed to affect the masked man. "Hmm... so you have even that much information, I see..."

Ranma grinned victoriously. "Yeah, I got even that much information... Why don't you be a pal and tell me where I can find that guy, huh? I promise I won't kick your ass too much."

The masked man chuckled, then openly laughed. "I do love your sense of humor..." He held his wand like a spear coiled to certainly strike down an unfortunate fool. "Very well, then, if, by some miracle you can defeat me, I will tell you about Cromwell."

Ranma looked surprised. "On your honor?"

"Certainly, of course. Not that-"

=CRACK=

The mask shattered under Ranma's fist, the masked man sent flying several feet backwards before hitting the ground roughly.

"Sorry, guy," Ranma spoke apologetically. "But I really don't have time to play with you anymore." Whistling a little tune to himself, Ranma almost skipped over to where the now-unmasked man laid on his back.

And stopped cold, eyes staring at his face.

The unconscious face of Wardes.

"H-huh? What the? Who-"

"Partner," Derflinger spoke. "That man-"

Wardes' eyes snapped open, and, before Ranma could react, he pointed his wand at him.

"Wind Arrow," the mage spoke softly, sternly.

The pressurized dart of wind screamed from the tip of Wardes' wand and struck home. Ranma gasped, as the magical attack snatched him off his feet while it drilled through his abdomen and exploded messily from the exit wound in his back. The pigtailed martial artist crash-landed hard on the dusty ground, rolling over and over, leaving blood splattered all across the ground.

"Partner!"

"Fu~~uck..." Ranma groaned, feet flailing against the ground uselessly as the pain reverberating through his body. "Gah..."

"Well, this wasn't how I thought it'd end," Wardes admitted as he dusted himself off. "Looks rather painful, too."

"Come here..." Ranma gasped, trying to force himself up and hold his gaping wound at the same time. "Let... me share with you..."

"I'd rather give, not receive," Wardes smiled cruelly, leveling his wand at the martial artist. "It's been a pleasure sparring with you, but all good things must come to an end. Wind Arrow."

The attack struck earth, as Ranma threw himself out of the way. He rolled to unsteady feet, gasping in agony the whole time.

Wardes shrugged. "Hmm, I suppose it would be more fitting for a Gandalfr to die on his feet instead."

Sweat began pushing through Ranma's skin in waves. "Sure know a lot, don'tcha..."

Wardes smirked. "There are more Void mages and their familiars in our lives than just you and my dear sweet fiancée Louise."

The martial artist's eyes widened. "Wh-what?"

Wardes grinned. "Oh, sorry, I swore on my honor to tell you, but only if you had defeated me. Which, you haven't."

Ranma scowled darkly. "Jerk..."

"Well, this is goodbye, Commoner." Wardes leveled his wand at Ranma again. "Wind-"

The hand that had been holding his grievous injury flicked out, slinging a copious handful of blood at Wardes' face.

"Gah!" Wardes dropped his aim as some of Ranma's blood struck him in the eyes. He clawed at his face, frantically trying to clear up his vision before-

=SHL-THUK=

"I win, jerk," Ranma growled as he had heavily leaned into his lunging attack against the traitorous mage, the rusty steel of Derflinger buried up to the hilt in the shocked Wardes's guts. It was the last thing the mage heard before his body collapsed in a flurry of wind and magic.

Ranma found himself flopping to the ground in a hapless heap, gasping in agony. Derflinger clattered down in front of him.

"Partner! All you all right!"

"Just a little tired," Ranma commented, eyes closing. "Think I'll rest a… moment…"

"Partner!"

* * *

"Dammit," Wardes swore under his breath.

"What was that, my Lord?" the captain of the ship asked of the mage as they were situated in the navigation room with the navigator, going over the travel route to Albion, the floating island's drift pattern and when they'll need his power to supplement for the dwindling Wind crystal supply.

"Forgot to tether my familiar," the mage said.

"That white gryphon on deck?" the navigator questioned. "I wondered who that belonged to."

"She's well-trained, following me aboard the ship without command," Wardes said bemusedly. "Excuse me for a moment while I tend to her."

"Sure, my Lord."

* * *

Louise sat up ramrod straight on the bed she was lying on as she and Siesta sat in one of the ship's guest quarters.

The maid noticed the way she stared wide-eyed at nothing, her body trembling slightly. "M-Miss Louise?" she asked cautiously.

Louise did not hear anything. She couldn't - her mind was flooded with so many strong, invasive feelings slamming about in her head, she couldn't pick out any particular one. It was like drowning in her own mind, with her trying to claw to the surface for air that remained just out of reach.

And then, everything slipped into a blank nothing.

"Miss Louise! What's wrong!"

"Huh?" the strawberry blonde acknowledged Siesta for the first time since being overwhelmed by Ranma's feelings. "What's the matter?"

"Y... you're crying. What's wrong?"

Louise blinked, and her vision blurred. "Wh-what?" Slim fingers reached up to touch her face, discovering the unusual wetness of her cheeks.

She looked at her fingers as if they belonged to someone else.

"Something happened..." she spoke, her voice slightly hollow.

Siesta braved to near the noble. "What happened?"

"I... I don't know," she admitted numbly. "But something terrible has happened." The tears splashed down from her cheeks and onto her Academy uniform. "And I can't stop myself from crying."

"Miss Louise," Siesta spoke, but stopped as she felt completely out of her depth with a noble. Had Louise been a commoner, the answer was easy enough. Being a noble, though, made even simple answers complicated affairs. After all, it wasn't like they had anything in common, aside from being young women. Nobles were and always would be the oppressors of the commonfolk, with little that could be done about it.

Well, at least that's what she had thought until the last month. That was when Ranma came into the picture and upset the apple cart with just his hands, defying the nobility at every turn and thwarting their efforts to force him into subservience. His example furthered inspired her to try and overcome the obstacles that obstructed her spirit, break down the walls between nobles and commoners.

And before Siesta thought about it, she found herself drawing her arms around Louise, pulling her into the warmth of her bosom. She felt Louise stiffen for a moment, but only for a moment, as it passed into the pink-haired girl completely losing composure and cry into her body, clinging to her like a life preserver in the middle of a big, empty ocean. Siesta didn't say anything, not that she could think of something to say - she was just as surprised she became so bold with a noble and was met with grateful relief.

Perhaps there was some hope for nobles and commoners after all.

* * *

Wardes thought as he pretended to check over the snowy white gryphon on-deck.

In hindsight, it was a reckless plan - even after seeing the results of the fight passed onto him via the mindlink to his doppelganger, he still could not fathom exactly how powerful the familiar was. He could be injured, and he didn't anticipate some of the tricks used against him, but he dealt with most all of them spectacularly well. Even the pointblank Wind Arrow through one side of his abdomen. It should have been a fatal wound, but the doppelganger was still defeated in spite of everything, which denied him true confirmation of the familiar's death.

Which meant that the familiar could potentially pass on the intel to the others and corrupt his plans by ousting him as a member of Reconquista.

That could not be permitted. Which meant he would have to drastically step up his three part plan. The first part, recover the Princess's letter to Wales, which would cause irreparable damage between Tristain and Germania and abort their planned alliance via marriage. The second part, seduce Louise into marriage, so as to gain access to her sleeping power - if necessary, he would terrorize and punish her into compliance or dose her with a love potion and get her full obedience. The third part, assassinate Prince Wales of Albion, which would break the spine of Albion and prevent any chance of the royal family raising a rebellion against Reconquista.

The first and third parts were critical to Reconquista's success in future endeavors, while the second was for his own gain. He needed to see what was hidden in the Holy Lands. The same Holy Lands his mother researched for years before...

He shook his head, stuffing the errant thoughts back into the recesses of his mind. He had a plan to create and put into action, starting with how to get to Albion before any potential problems cropped up and forced him to resort to Plan B - Murder.

* * *

"Are you all right?" Siesta chanced to ask Louise as she dried her red, puffy eyes.

"Yes, thank you," the pink-haired girl spoke with a wan smile. Then she looked around, as if someone might have been spying on them. "That never happened," she commented with seriousness in her voice.

Siesta couldn't help but giggle. "Don't know what you're talking about..."

"Good," Louise nodded with finality.

She smiled in return. Maybe the wall between commoner and nobility wasn't so thick or as high after all.

A knock came at the cabin door, jolting both girls out of the calm atmosphere.

"Ah!" Louise panicked. "J-just a minute!" She turned to Siesta wide-eyed. "Help me!" she hissed as low as possible. The main nodded quickly and together, the girls frantically did their best in making Louise look like she hadn't been bawling her eyes out. Their efforts didn't do much, aside from making them both look like they had been in the middle of a passionate tryst and were hasty in dressing themselves.

Nevertheless, Louise sat back on the bed, smoothed her dress quickly and spoke politely. "Come in."

Wardes opened the door, noticing Siesta was also sitting on the same bed as Louise. Realizing she was under direct scrutiny from the older mage, Siesta regarded her location, 'eeped' aloud and quickly moved to the other bed across from Louise's.

"I wish to speak to my fiancée in solitude for a few moments," Wardes spoke. "Would you be so kind as to leave us be until summoned?"

Thought it was phrased as a request, it was anything but, and the tone of voice he used sent a cold shiver down her spine. It was as if she tried to even hint at questioning his command, she would die on the spot. Therefore, she merely nodded and walked as quickly out of the room as she could go without actually running.

Of course, she didn't know of anywhere to go aboard the ship, and the way some of the shiphands' eyes lingered on parts of her when passing them earlier didn't make her feel sociable. She decided to head out on top of the deck, to look at the night sky they were sailing through. Maybe she'd find a wishing star and be able to make a wish.

**=BOO~~~~~OM=**

She had barely gotten three feet from the room when the explosion ripped through the ship and threw Siesta headfirst into the hallway wall. Or maybe the hallway wall was smashed into her. She honestly didn't know which was which, and that thought frightened her.

She staggered to her feet, trying to keep her balance. Then she realized the ship was what was having trouble balancing as it rocked back and forth like a cradle, except it was nowhere near as gentle.

"Help!" came Louise's voice from the guest quarters.

Siesta scurried over to the room, trying to counterbalance herself against the airship's rocking. She managed to grab the door handle as the ship listed away from it and turned.

Louise popped into the hallway along with a cold blast of air chilling her. Siesta got tangled up with her and both girls went down.

"Close the door! Close the door!" Louise shouted, eyes completely wild and afraid. Siesta turned her head to see what was going-

She saw night sky. Night sky where there was once a guest quarters.

"What in the Founder's name happened?" Siesta wondered, too stunned and confused by what she was actually looking at.

"I don't know!" Louise cried out. "Just close the door or we'll fall to our deaths!"

That snapped the maid into action, as the ship was listing them towards the door, a dark death awaiting them. She gotten one leg free, then the other, and threw herself towards the swinging door, slamming it shut and sealing away the void of the sky. She panted, her hands and legs shakier than she realized, as the latter gave out on her and the former couldn't be cajoled into doing anything.

"Wh-Where is your fiancé?" Siesta managed to squeak out.

And Louise didn't answer her for a long moment.

"I think I blasted him off the ship," she replied shamefacedly once she did.

"EHH!"

The strawberry blonde flinched as if struck. "Don't ask me! I don't what happened either! The moment I saw him-!" She clamped her mouth shut with both hands.

"What in the name of Brimir is going on around here!" the Captain roared, running down the stairs. "I thought we were struck by cannonfire! There's pieces of my ship flying everywhere, and what looks like a giant hole punched through one of the sailing rudders! Where is my Lord!"

Louise hid her burning face. Siesta just pointed at their room.

"I think he fell out of the hole in there..."

The captain stared at her dumbfounded. "What."

The maid just shrugged helplessly.

"Forget it, then!" he huffed. "There's no way we'll be able to continue course with the ship in this state! We'll be lucky if we can get her to back to La Rochelle, presuming we don't crash first!"

* * *

"Guh…" Ranma groaned, holding his side. He was lying on his back as the gaping wound in his torso made part of him feel numb. Blood had seeped into the ground, he noticed as he grimaced in pain, forcing himself to roll over onto his uninjured side.

"Bastard…" he growled to himself, Wardes face lighting up in his mind's eye briefly. To think, Louise's fiancé had shamelessly done something like try to kill him at least twice now. What the hell did he ever do to him?

It was sort of strange in a sense, though. If Wardes was here fighting him, then who was with Louise? At last check, he was supposed to be escorting Louise and Siesta to Albion. So, what happened there?

He made to look around, only to realize something was amiss.

Wherever he was, it was not outside of La Rochelle.

=SHL-THUK=

"Guh!"

Ranma blinked at hearing the frighteningly familiar sound coming from behind him. Letting gravity and inertia take hold, he flopped onto his back - teeth clamped tightly together as he desperately wanted to howl in agony from the rough handling his body just received - to catch sight of the scene unfolding behind him.

In case whoever behind him wanted a piece of him. He'd have to figure out how to handle him in his condition.

Instead, he was treated to a fading image beyond a growing wall of black mist. Long tendrils randomly jutted from said wall and into a pond based before it and close at hand to him, entwining and invading something that resembled…

…him.

Well, him when cursed to be a girl, before he came to this weird land of magic and talking swords. Only, he was never quite as translucent as this version of him.

"What the hell is this?" Ranma muttered aloud. It hurt like fire moving, but he forced himself to bear with the pain and sit up, if only because he needed to do something that didn't involve lying down like a flipped-over turtle. When he did force himself up in a semi-sitting position, using his good arm to rigidly keep him erect while he sweated under the imposed strain, the watery face of his old girl side looked down her constricted form at him

"So you are the one that is just as cursed here as before," she said with a rather cheerful expression on her face.

Which made Ranma scowl. Mostly from his lack of understanding the situation. He did feel she was making fun of him, though, smiling like his suffering was part of an act or something.

"No thanks to some stupid water spirit," he grumbled. "What are you, anyway?"

"The stupid water spirit," the girl commented, cheery as always.

Ranma make a slightly embarrassed expression. "Oh… Um… okay?"

"Who's to say?" the water spirit girl spoke, still smiling. "This is the only time I remember the devil's hands upon one of my own, an experience that vexes as it intrigues."

"The devil's hands?" Ranma echoed. "What's that?"

"That which stands before, that which cannot complete itself, that which remains unfulfilled of its purpose."

Ranma blinked. "Mind saying that without the poetry?"

The water spirit girl did not repeat herself s she continued to speak. "Darkness repelled by eldritch concepts, protection of an unknown nature marking its borders. Yet every day it weakens, and you, too will be as this. Caressed by Shaitan's hand."

Now Ranma was hopelessly lost. "What? Huh? The hell are you talking abou-"

A sudden, lancing pain shot through his body again, robbing him of words, then strength, as he flopped onto his back, clutching his wounded body. He screamed soundlessly, desperately trying to shield himself from more pain as he curled upon in a half-fetal position.

"It seems the Darkness has plans for you still," the water spirit girl commented, looking down her body as a stream of ink blackness slithered from the hole in Ranma's body, latching itself onto her form. "Though it yet requires more power beforehand."

Ranma's response was to choke, spittle spilling from his mouth as his limbs flailed about in vain.

"And so it will go until finally the darkness completes itself, reb-"

The rest was lost on Ranma as he blacked out, the searing pain too much for him to take.

* * *

"Ranma! What in the name of the Founder happened to you!"

Ranma's eyes flickered open to find a startled, half-frightened Montmorency staring down at his prone form with Guiche beside her, hands open as if trying to calm her down.

"Just a scratch, Monmon," he commented idly, trying to feel his confidence so as to keep the blonde girl from flipping out on his injury. "You should see the other guy."

Sure his wound was nasty as hell, he thought as he stood, but he really didn't want her to freak out over something like that. He had a pretty good idea Monmon didn't take well to crisis. Probably because she had never been exposed to anything more dangerous than-

Wait a minute. Was he standing? Pain-free?

"What other guy? Where did all of this blood come from! And your shirt! Why are there holes on both sides!"

Ranma had to check out what Monmon was freaking out over. Because he might need to join her in the process.

His silk Chinese shirt was matted with blood, making the saturated areas look downright black against the red fabric. There was indeed a hole in his torso. He could feel the exit hole in his back.

Yet underneath the fabric was smooth, unblemished skin.

"Holy shit," Ranma commented dumbly.

"What happened to you!" Montmorency cried out, her wand out as she checked him over. "You've been gone for three hours now! We come looking for you and find you an absolute mess!"

"Three hours?" Ranma repeated before shaking his head abruptly. "Crap! Where's Louise and Siesta?"

"Eh?" Guiche looked from Montmorency to Ranma. "What are you talking about? Did you hit your head? They went to Albion with his Lordship Wardes."

"That's a lie," Ranma snapped. "I was just fighting him here!"

"Wh-what!" Guiche stepped back in shock.

"Yeah, that masked guy? I busted the mask and it turned out to be him behind it!"

The Gramont son stared at Ranma for a moment in stunned silence before laughing. "Don't be absurd! His Lordship, the masked assailant? Preposterous! He couldn't be here and with Louise and Siesta!"

"He could with very powerful wind magic," Derflinger commented as he was left lying on the ground.

"Eh!"

Ranma ignored Guiche as he went over to the fallen sword. "Wind magic?"

"There is a wind spell that can create duplicates of the user, Partner."

Ranma looked up in horror. "He can duplicate himself?"

"I… don't know anything about that…" Guiche spoke, the sudden possibility of Wardes being a traitor now unnerving him.

"He can," Derflinger noted. "I took it in myself. Though the name seems to escape me, I seem to recall it being able to recreate the user down to the same magical strength as the original. Now, what was that spell's name…?"

"Ubiquitous Dell Wind," Tabitha supplied as she strolled up to the trio-plus-a-talking-sword, a book in hand.

"Ah, that sounds about right," Derflinger commented.

"Who cares!" Ranma shouted. "It just means we've gotta go find Louise and deal with that ass Wardes before he does something to her!"

"Or the mission," Guiche spoke in growing horror as the pieces fell into place and painted a grisly picture. "If he's a member of the rebellion in Albion, then our kingdom will be doomed!"

"Right!" Ranma nodded quickly then turned to Tabitha. "Tabby! We're gonna need to get up there!"

She shook her head, a slight crease of color on her cheeks. "No need," the small quiet girl spoke as she pointed back towards the town. "Airship returned."

"Huh?" Ranma's brows knitted together. "How do you know that's the one Louise rode out on?"

"Damaged ship," Tabitha spoke. "Large hole."

Ranma closed his mouth and folded his arms. "Huh," he replied, nonplussed.

"That sounds like her," Montmorency commented.

"I agree," Guiche chimed in, nodding sagely. "I hope no one was in the path of whatever magic she tried to use."

* * *

Somewhere in the ocean, a nearly-drowned Wardes drifted alone, clutching onto a piece of broken hull from the airship. His body had taken a severe beating, ribs burning like fire was running though his marrow - whether from the explosion itself, being blasted forcefully through the hull of a ship or surviving a fall with only a half-casted shield of wind made in haste, he wasn't certain. His wand, he had no idea what became of it, either, having only regained consciousness while seconds away from a certain death. His familiar, probably still tethered to the airship, uselessly out of reach. And Brimir only knew what was brushing up against his leg in the cold, dark waters.

"Plan B it is, then," he muttered beneath the blanket of stars and clouds. "Plan B it is…"

He was going to kill Louise and that Gandalfr if it was the last thing he ever did.


End file.
